Tamil Nadu Police registers FIR against organisers of pig jallikattu

Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], February 9 (ANI): Tamil Nadu police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against "persons using pigs for Jallikattu" on complaint by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
According to a PETA release, Theni police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the organisers and participants of an "illegal pig jallikattu event".
It said Forest Department in Dharmapuri registered a Preliminary Offence Report (POR) against people who captured and carried a hare (a wild animal similar to a rabbit) in a village procession.
The release said eleven people arrested by Theni police for pig jallikattu were later released on bail.
The forest officials compounded the charges for capturing and using the hare and fined five villagers Rs 5000 each.
The release said that FIR registered by the police on the pig jallikattu event includes various sections of Indian Penal Code, and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960.
The POR registered by the Forest Department includes sections under the Wildlife (Protection) (WPA) Act, 1972.
The release said that PETA India acted after receiving numerous complaints about a news report and video, in which the participants of the illegal jallikattu event were found to be pulling the tails of pigs, grabbing their hind legs, and dragging them backwards. In addition, villagers were seen clutching a hare's hind legs and ears and carrying the animal in a procession, after which they released the animal into a bush.
"It's unacceptable in a civilised society to capture, torment, and terrify animals for any purpose," PETA India Emergency Response Team Associate Manager Meet Ashar said.
The release said PETA India is calling on authorities to prevent these events from taking place in the future and to hold all perpetrators accountable for subjecting pigs and protected wild hares to harm. (ANI)