A gangetic dolphin was beaten to death by locals in Sharda Sahayak canal in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh. Pratapgarh police said three arrests have been made in the case so far. The motive behind the crime is still not confirmed. The video of the killing went viral on social media on Friday, 8 January.
The gangetic dolphin is a protected species and the National Aquatic Animal. The killing is a punishable offence under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 according to the First Information Report filed at Nawabganj police station, reported The Hindu. The police have identified the suspects to be from a nearby village.
The incident allegedly happened on 31 December 2020. The video that has been circulating on social media shows a group of men lynching the dolphin with big sticks and axes. They also trapped the dolphin with a net, held it down by its fin, and punctured holes, till it passed away from the vicious attack.
The body of the dolphin was later sent for post-mortem by police and forest officials.
(With inputs from The Hindu)
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