Telangana: FIR registered for goat killing in Potharam village following viral video

A man in Potharam village faces an FIR after a viral video showed him killing a goat during a public ritual. PETA India and SAFI Hyderabad filed the complaint, citing violations of animal cruelty and Telangana prohibition laws.

Hyderabad: Following the circulation of a disturbing video on social media, an FIR has been registered at the Husnabad Police Station against a man for the gruesome killing of a goat in Potharam village. The video, which sparked widespread outrage, depicts a man biting and ripping apart the animal’s neck during a public animal sacrifice ritual.

The legal action was spearheaded by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India in coordination with the Stray Animal Foundation of India (SAFI), Hyderabad. The FIR was filed following a complaint by Adulapuram Goutham of SAFI and names the individual seen in the footage.

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Charges have been brought under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, alongside violations of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, and the Telangana Animals and Birds Sacrifices Prohibition Act, 1950.

“Animal sacrifice desensitizes the public to violence and reinforces archaic beliefs,” stated Ishani Rathee, PETA India’s Cruelty Response Coordinator. She commended the Husnabad Police for their swift response, noting that such practices hinder societal progress.

The Supreme Court mandates that animal slaughter occur only in licensed facilities equipped with stunning equipment,” PETA press release added.