Fans of Balakrishna behead goat to celebrate success of ‘Daaku Maharaj’ in Tirupati; FIR registered

The goat was killed outside Pratap movie theatre, Tata Nagar, Tirupati on January 12, the day when 'Daku Maharaj'  was released. The video of the cruel incident was widely shared on social media

Tirupati: Police in Tirupati registered a First Information Report (FIR) against five persons said to be fans of popular Tollywood actor Balakrishna for beheading a goat for the success of his recently released movie ‘Daku Maharaj.’

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India said it worked with the Tirupati police to get the FIR registered under sections 325 & 270, read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023; sections 4 & 5, read with 6 & 8 of the Andhra Pradesh Animals and Birds Sacrifices (Prohibition) Act, 1950; and sections 3, 11(1)(a) and 11(1)(l) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

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The goat was killed outside Pratap movie theatre, Tata Nagar, Tirupati on January 12, the day when ‘Daku Maharaj’  was released. The video of the cruel incident was widely shared on social media.

The FIR was registered after the offence was reported by a head constable of Tirupati East Police Station on the evening of January 16. According to PETA India, the video shows men surrounding a frightened goat.

The video then shows the goat, fully conscious, being beheaded with a machete and the slaughter taking place in full public view. It also shows a man smearing the blood of the sacrificed goat on the movie poster. PETA India condemned the incident.

“Killing an animal and smearing their blood on a poster doesn’t make you a super fan – it makes you a villain and a criminal. True fans celebrate their favourite stars with movie tickets and supportive social media posts, not with acts of violence or cruelty,” says PETA India Cruelty Response Coordinator Saloni Sakaria.

The organisation commended Tirupati police, especially the Superintendent of Police L. Subbarayudu, for swiftly registering an FIR and sending the message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.

In its complaint, PETA India pointed out that Section 4 of the Andhra Pradesh Animals and Birds Sacrifices (Prohibition) Act, 1950 prohibits any person from officiating, performing, serving, assisting, or participating in sacrificing an animal in any congregation.

Section 5 prohibits the use of a place of public religious worship or adoration or its precincts for sacrificing animals by any person in possession of such precinct. Section 6 prescribes the penalties, and Section 8 makes all offences under the Act cognizable.