Indian animal advocates beaten

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From ANIMAL PEOPLE, April 2009:

 

 

Indian animal advocates beaten

 

AHMEDABAD, THRISSUR-- The Kerala Elephant Lovers'

Association on March 24, 2009 asked the Indian federal government to

investigate the ambush beating of Thrissur SPCA senior inspector E.R.

Jayan. Jayan was allegedly assaulted by four men on March 19 after

responding to a false report that an elephant was being abused.

Jayan was attacked two weeks after Animal Lovers Emergency

Rescue Team founder Sandra Jhala, 53, of Ahmedabad, " suffered

multiple fractures, cuts and bruises after men went into her yard

and attacked dogs kept there, " reported the Times of India on March

3, 2009. Beaten when she intervened, " Jhala received more than 50

stitches on her head and has five fractures on her left hand, "

elaborated Roshan Kumar of the investigative newspaper DNA.

Jhala named her assailants. " It was an attempt by my

neighbours and local goondas, including Nainesh Patel, Shailesh

Patel, Dipak Patel and Daya Patel, to kill me, " Jhala alleged to

Kumar. " Dipak Patel has been running all sorts of nefarious

activities, including gambling and liquor trade, " Jhala added, " and

the local police are also assisting him, " she alleged. Wrote Kumar,

" Jhala said Dipak Patel and her neighbours wanted her to vacate the

ground-floor flat where she has lived for more than 11 years so that

they could use the area for business purposes. " Charges were filed

against the suspects, but they remained at large, Kumar reported.

Rahul Sehgal, founder of the Animal Help Foundation in

Ahmedabad, was in mid-2007 beaten in a similar gang attack, and the

Animal Help computers were smashed. Sehgal also named his

assailants, whom he said were associated with a rival animal

charity, but to little avail.

An early 2000 crackdown on illegal slaughter in Ahmedabad

turned violent after vigilantes helped police to seize 2,125 animals

from illegal butchers, including 641 cows. 180 people were

arrested, 58 vehicles were impounded, and one person was killed in

fights between the butchers and the vigilantes.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

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Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

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