synopsis
In a shocking incident, a woman and her friends allegedly killed a cat that crossed their path and set its body on fire, believing it had brought them "bad fortune."
In a shocking incident, a woman and her friends allegedly killed a cat that crossed their path and set its body on fire, believing it had brought them "bad fortune." The incident unfolded in Moradabad’s Bhojpur area, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the FIR, Priya, along with her friends, recorded the attack and posted it on a social media platform linked to Rajiv Singh. The video, filmed on Sunday and now widely circulated, captured the group beating the cat before dousing it in petrol and setting it on fire.
The footage prompted the Wildlife Crime Control Bureau, Delhi, to alert forest officials, who then registered a case. "We traced Priya after verifying the bike's registration number seen in the video. The woman belongs to a nomadic tribe," said Moradabad Divisional Forest Officer Suraj Kumar.
The accused have been charged under relevant provisions of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, which prescribes a punishment of up to three years in prison and a fine of Rs 1 lakh. However, despite intensified efforts, Priya and her accomplices remain at large.
Bhojpur SHO Sharad Malik confirmed that authorities are actively searching for the accused. "We have registered a case against the accused under the Wildlife Protection Act. Our team visited Laluwala village, but the village head could not identify the woman. We are trying to trace her and her accomplices," he stated.