The Uttar Pradesh police have filed a 30-page chargesheet in a Budaun court against a man accused of tying a stone to a rat's tail and drowning it in a drain in November last year. The police investigation "joined every sequence" and prepared the chargesheet based on the forensic report, media videos, and information gathered from various departments, said circle officer (city) Alok Mishra, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday.
The post-mortem examination report served as the foundation for the chargesheet. According to the report, the rodent had lung and liver infections and died as a result of asphyxiation caused by a lung infection.
Manoj Kumar was charged with animal cruelty on November 25. According to Vikendra Sharma, an animal activist, Kumar threw a rat into a drain after tying a stone to its tail. Sharma claimed he entered the drain to save the rat, but it died later.
Charges Against Accused:
Senior advocate Rajiv Kumar Sharma said on Tuesday, "Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, there is a provision for a fine of Rs 10 to Rs 2,000 and three years in prison," PTI reported. In addition, Section 429 of the IPC provides for a five-year prison sentence, a fine, or both."
Kumar was summoned to the police station to be questioned. According to police, he was later charged with animal cruelty under IPC Section 429 as well as the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act.
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'Killing Them Not Wrong, These Harmful Creatures': Accused's Father
Kumar's father, Mathura Prasad, however, stated that "killing rats and crows is not wrong. These are harmful creatures."
"Rats had ruined the soil-made utensils, turning them into mounds of soil. This caused him mental and financial problems. If action is taken against my son, then those who butcher goats, hens, and fish should also face consequences. Those who sell the rat-killing chemical should also be prosecuted," Prasad added.
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Rat Died Of Lung Infection:
The rat's carcass was sent to a veterinary hospital in Budaun for autopsy after the incident in November, but the staff refused to examine it. After that, the carcass was delivered to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly.
Later, a forensic examination revealed that the rat's lungs were swollen, and it died as a result of a lung infection. "Our experts concluded the rat died due to asphyxiation caused by lung infection," said KP Singh, IVRI's joint director at the time.