Guest guest Posted December 21, 2006 Report Share Posted December 21, 2006 *HindustanTimes.com*<http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/124_0,0000.htm> » *Cities* <http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/553_0,0006.htm> » * Srinagar* <http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7170_0,000600030010.htm> » Story http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1874731,000600030010.htm Four arrested for killing black bear in J & K *Rashid Ahmad* Srinagar, December 20, 2006 <http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1874731,000600030010.htm#> <http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1874731,000600030010.htm#> <http://147.208.132.198/onlineCDA/PFVersion.jsp?article=http://10.81.141.122/new\ s/181_1874731,000600030010.htm> Advertisement Police, on Wednesday, arrested four persons in Tral quarter of southern Pulwama district in connection with the killing of a black bear. The arrests have triggered massive protest demonstrations and general shutdown. Wildlife officials say that a black bear had strayed into Mandora village of Tral on November 17 and a frenzied mob beat him to death. TV images, telecast by a news channel on December 15, showed a mob beating the bear with lathis and stones. They also sprinkled kerosene oil on him and burnt him alive. " It is a serious matter, and the persons responsible for the killing of the black bear will be dealt with strictly " , said a local police officer. The killing of wild animals is prohibited under Wildlife Protection Act in Jammu and Kashmir. Hundreds of residents took to streets on Wednesday and held protest demonstrations against the arrests. They said that the black bear had terrorised the residents by attacking them. They said that 70-year Abdul Gani Rather of Shariefabad village was attacked and brutally injured by a black bear earlier, who later died in the hospital. Incidentally, one of the four persons arrested in connection with the killing of the black bear includes Rather's son Wali Mohammad. " When his (Wali's) father was killed by the black bear, nobody took note of it. But on Wednesday he was arrested for killing the black bear. What kind of law is it, which takes care of wild animals and not humans " , said Ghulam Nabbi Bhat, a relative of Rather. The residents said that they had captured the black bear and locked him in a shed for over 12 hours. " We informed the Wildlife Protection Department but they did not turn up. The bear in the meanwhile escaped, and people in panic chased and killed him " , said another resident Mohammad Subhan Rather. A senior officer in the Wildlife department said that they have taken note of resident's claim and have removed four officials, including a range officer, from their posts. He said that an enquiry by principal conservator of forests has been initiated. Wild bears entered populated areas in many parts of Kupwara, Baramullah, Anantnag and Pulwama this year. As many as three persons including a minor child were killed and over 30 wounded in the attacks by them on residents. Last month, a bear snatched a child, whose body was recovered the next morning from a nearby field. A woman in Kondabal village, around 27 km from Srinagar, was also attacked by a wild bear, who succumbed to injuries at a hospital. Wildlife officials say that there had been a substantial increase in wild animal population in Jammu and Kashmir as poaching and hunting has stopped in Kashmir with the rise of terrorism. They say that the human interference in the wild animal habitat has also increased and many forested areas have been denuded, which forced the wild animals to stray into villages. On 12/21/06, ddgrossman <ddgrossman wrote: > > Thank you. I will be on stand by to receive video and documentation. > > Again, thank you. > > Debra Grossman > > ---- wrote: > > Dear Madam, > > The video is not available on the net. I am > however > > copying your message to colleagues of mine who have recorded the event > on > > video from the television footage and they might be able to help you. I > am > > sorry but this is as much information as I have on this event at the > moment. > > It was a Sahara Rashtriya exclusive and does not seem to have come out > in > > print althogh we are trying to get a press report out. > > Thanks for your keen interest. Regards, > > > > > > > > > > > > On 12/21/06, ddgrossman <ddgrossman wrote: > > > > > > Dr. Mr. Ghosh: Please send me the link to the video or news report > out of > > > Sahara Vashtriya. I need the news coverage with supporting > documentation > > > before I can submit this to HSUS for review. I have looked on Google > and > > > I'm unable to locate any information on this event. > > > > > > Thank you, > > > > > > Debra > > > > > > ---- wrote: > > > > Dear Madam, > > > > I look forward to hearing from you. Best wishes, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 12/20/06, ddgrossman <ddgrossman wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Dear Mr. Ghosh - Thank you again for your reply. I will review > the > > > > > situation on both matters and get back to you as soon as possible. > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you - Debra > > > > > ---- wrote: > > > > > > Dear Madam, > > > > > > The bear allegedly went near a child and the > > > child > > > > > was > > > > > > reportedly rescued. The villagers thus formed the idea that the > bear > > > was > > > > > a > > > > > > killer. The bear then went inside a shed and the Forest > Department > > > was > > > > > > summoned but did not arrive for 11 hours. When they did they > said > > > they > > > > > could > > > > > > not act because they did not have a tranquilliser gun. The > villagers > > > > > then > > > > > > took things in their own hands and mobbed the animal although in > the > > > > > footage > > > > > > the bear is not attacking any of the assailants even after the > most > > > > > grisly > > > > > > torture. You can actually see the flames rising from its body > when > > > it > > > > > has > > > > > > been set alight. > > > > > > I have a request for you. Recently there was an elephant polo > match > > > in > > > > > > India organised by Cartier. I was among those who opposed it. > There > > > is a > > > > > > website www.stopelephantpolo.com that has information on this > issue. > > > I > > > > > would > > > > > > appreciate your views on the use of elephants in entertainment > like > > > polo > > > > > > matches as amember of HSUS and would also appreciate it if you > could > > > get > > > > > me > > > > > > a formal reaction from the HSUS executives. Forgive me for > saying > > > this, > > > > > > HSI-Asia has been most unhelpful in answering any kind of > queries. > > > > > > I hope this helps and thank you for your continued interest in > > > animals. > > > > > > Best wishes and kind regards, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sincerely yours, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 12/20/06, ddgrossman <ddgrossman wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you Mr. Ghosh for getting back to me. I appreciate your > > > prompt > > > > > > > reply. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I'm an active member of the Humane Society of the United > States > > > and I > > > > > will > > > > > > > be forwarding your information to them. I'm sorry to ask a > > > question > > > > > again > > > > > > > but I need to be clear on the possible motive behind this > extreme > > > form > > > > > of > > > > > > > animal cruelty. Did these people stone the bear out of some > > > > > traditional > > > > > > > belief? Did they believe the bear was possessed by the > > > Devil? What > > > > > do you > > > > > > > think the motive or reason was behind this horrible action? > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you kindly, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Debra Grossman > > > > > > > Member of HSUS > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---- wrote: > > > > > > > > Dear Madam, > > > > > > > > There was no overt religious involvement > but > > > as > > > > > a > > > > > > > > rationalist I believe that traditional religion denigrates > > > animals > > > > > and > > > > > > > does > > > > > > > > not accord them the same rights as humans. The act was > allowed > > > by > > > > > the > > > > > > > > government since Jammu and Kashmir as you know as a special > > > law(the > > > > > > > tangle > > > > > > > > between India and Pakistan) that allows for wildlife > > > exploitation. I > > > > > > > have > > > > > > > > been informed that several animal welfare/wildlife > organisations > > > > > like > > > > > > > > Wildlife Trust of India and People for Animals, Haryana are > > > > > exploring > > > > > > > the > > > > > > > > legal option to dela with this issue. It has received wide > > > publicity > > > > > in > > > > > > > > India and abroad with messages coming in from Brazil and > > > Thailand. > > > > > > > > Which organisation do you work for? > > > > > > > > Best wishes, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , > > > > > > > > Kolkata, west Bengal, INDIA. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > On 12/19/06, ddgrossman <ddgrossman wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I am contacting you to find out if the people that > tortured > > > and > > > > > burned > > > > > > > > > this poor bear were religious? Did they commit this > heinous > > > act > > > > > for > > > > > > > some > > > > > > > > > religious purpose? Lately, I have learned how violence > and > > > > > religion > > > > > > > are > > > > > > > > > tied together. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Also, was this act of cruelty completely allowed by the > > > > > > > government? The > > > > > > > > > article indicates that the police watched and did nothing. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > If you have a moment, can you send me a reply. I would > very > > > much > > > > > > > > > appreciate it your time. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Thank you kindly, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Debra Grossman > > > > > > > > > Phoenix, AZ USA > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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