Court fines Mumbai resident Rs 5,000 for feeding pigeons

A Mumbai court fined businessman Nitin Sheth Rs 5,000 for feeding pigeons in a public place, ruling his actions could spread dangerous infections. The case follows the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s ban on pigeon feeding over health and nuisance concerns

Mumbai: A court here has convicted a businessman and directed him to pay a fine of Rs 5,000 for feeding pigeons in a public place, holding his act was “likely to spread infections of diseases dangerous to life”.

The order came months after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation banned the feeding of pigeons in most parts of the city, citing public nuisance and health hazard to people.

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Dadar resident Nitin Sheth (52) was held for offering grains to pigeons at the now-shut ‘kabutarkhana’ (pigeon feeding station) in the city’s Mahim area on August 1.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate VU Misal (Bandra) convicted Sheth on December 22 after he voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charges and sought leniency.

Accepting his plea, the court sentenced him to pay a fine of Rs 5,000.

The magistrate had charged him for acts causing danger to human life, health or safety and violating a government order under Section 223 (b) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

He was also charged under BNS Section 271 for negligent act likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life.