CHENNAI: The Saidapet police on Sunday registered a first information report following a complaint from the Blue Cross of India alleging illegal transportation of camels in a cruel way. The Blue Cross intercepted a truck carrying 12 camels being taken to places in the city allegedly for sacrifice ahead of Bakrid.
According to Dawn Williams, general manager, Blue Cross of India, Chennai, they traced a truck carrying 12 camels on Mount Round and followed it up to East Jones Road, Saidapet on Saturday midnight. “We received information that they were transporting 15 camels but we found 12. I tried to stop them but the local people were making it communal and spoke about religion. Our sole purpose is to save the animals,” the GM said.
The Blue Cross action followed the letter sent by the Animal Welfare Board on November 3 to seize camels brought illegally to several places in the state. A copy of the letter had been sent to Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, the FIR said.
When Blue Cross representatives questioned the truck driver Narasimma, he had allegedly told them that the truck was arriving straight from Rajasthan with the camels and that six camels each were supposed to be delivered at Saidapet and Nethaji Nagar, near Ennore. “Firstly, there was no permit to transport the animals, secondly it was overloaded and they were all bound and bundled up. They shoved out two camels from the truck in front of us. The animals were travelling for the past five days without food or water,” Dawn Williams claimed.
Soon, Blue Cross members called the police to the spot, who asked them to lodge a complaint. But the truck and its driver escaped from the spot when the Blue Cross members were at Saidapet police station to lodge the complaint around 5 am, they claimed.
The members had also visited Nethaji Nagar, near Ennore, where camels were kept. “But we wanted to focus on one issue, so we lodged a complaint at Saidapet. The purpose of the complaint and the police filing an FIR is to create awareness that it had happened. Even if the government allows slaughtering of camels in the future, at least transporting them should be better,” the GM added.
Saidapet police, who have filed an FIR under sections 11 (d) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960 and 429 IPC, said they would investigate in the event of cruelty. “If there was cruelty, we will trace the truck,” said NS Kumar, inspector, Saidapet police station.
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