Ensure action against illegal slaughterhouses, HC to Maharashtra govt
Mumbai, Oct 9: The Bombay High Court Tuesday said authorities cannot prevent slaughtering of animals in totality, but they can ensure action is taken against shops slaughtering illegally and without license.
A division bench headed by Justice S C Dharmadhikari said it is for the Maharashtra government to ensure there is no breach of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Food Safety and Standards Act.
The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by one Ajay Marathe raising concerns over illegal abattoirs operating across the city.
The petition sought directions to the municipal corporations for following an ethical procedure like rendering the animals unconscious before slaughtering them.
"The authorities cannot prevent slaughter completely because ultimately it is food but they (authorities) can take action if there is any violation of the concerned acts or if any shop is slaughtering without licence," Justice Dharmadhikari said.
Stating that the matter concerns public health and safety, the court said it is for the state government to ensure that provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Food Safety and Standards Act are not breached.
"We are concerned about public health and safety. Those persons who consume (meat) should not suffer. There are several places in the city where we see slaughter shops throwing carcasses and garbage on the roads and people are not even able to walk near those places," Justice Dharmadhikari said.
"This is something that should not be tolerated," he added.
BMC counsel Anil Sakhare told the court that the civic body has been conducting periodical checks on such erring shops.
"From March 2014 to 2017, around 700 FIRs have been lodged against shops carrying out slaughter without requisite permission," he said.
The bench directed the BMC to file an affidavit on this and also asked the state government to take up the issue with every municipal corporation and district council.
The petition will be next heard on November 2.
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Three juveniles held for stabbing 16-year-old over past grudge in northwest Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 18 (PTI): Three juveniles, including one who was recently out on bail in a murder case, were apprehended in connection with the stabbing of a 16-year-old boy in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar over to past dispute, an official said on Wednesday.
A PCR call on March 12 reported a stabbing incident in Ashok Vihar area in which one Altaf (16) sustained grievous injuries.
Police said the victim was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. With no eyewitnesses, and the victim initially unfit to give a statement, the case posed a challenge for investigators.
An FIR was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and a team was constituted to probe the matter.
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After regaining consciousness, the victim disclosed the name of one of the assailants, providing a crucial lead. Acting on local inputs and surveillance, police conducted raids and tracked down the suspects.
Subsequently, three juveniles were apprehended and, during interrogation, they confessed to their involvement in the crime, police said.
The accused disclosed that they knew the victim and had a prior altercation over a trivial issue, which escalated into bitter enmity. Nursing a grudge, they conspired to attack him and stabbed the boy after intercepting him on the day of the incident.
Police said one of the apprehended juveniles had recently been released on bail in a murder case registered last year at the same police station.
The weapon of offence, a knife, was recovered at the instance of the accused.
