Forest reserves are supposed to be a safe haven for animals – especially endangered ones – and keep them from the threat of hunters and loss of habitat.
Sadly, this was far from the case for a monitor lizard that was gang-raped by four men in a forest reserve in India.
Source: Pexels. For illustration purposes only
The four suspects were taken into custody after a recording of them in the act was found one on of their phones.
If found guilty, they could face up to 7 years of jail time.
According to Yahoo News, they had trespassed the Sahyadri Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, India to commit the act.
CCTV footage from the Maharashtra Forest Department showed the men on the reserve’s grounds, which enabled forest officials to track them down.
Forest officials also found numerous photos of hunting hare, mouse-deers, porcupines, and pangolins on one of the accused’s phones.
Besides that, authorities have also seized a poaching gun, two motorcycles, and a battery.
Three of the accused had evaded capture at first until they were later found in the Ratnagiri district of Maharashtra.
Investigations revealed they had entered the reserve to hunt.
The four suspects were held in custody for seven days before a local court granted them bail on 8 Apr, The Times of India reported.
Forest officials have brought up the case to the Indian Penal Court (IPC) to seek maximum punishment for the suspects.
Following this, a date will be set for the suspects to appear in court and await sentencing.
If they are charged under the Wildlife Protection Act, they could be imprisoned for up to seven years.
At the same time, authorities are also considering charging him under IPC section 377 (Unnatural Offences).
This law accounts for voluntary ‘carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal’, and those convicted may be imprisoned for life or for a term of up to 10 years and be fined.
Animals deserve nothing less than our love and respect, and while we do not condone any form of animal abuse, seeing a crime like this being committed leaves us more speechless than ever.
If the accused are indeed found guilty, they should be granted psychiatric counselling on top of any length of imprisonment they may be given.
After all, an act of such a nature cannot possibly be done by someone of sound mind.
More importantly, we hope the reserve’s caretakers step up efforts to keep future trespassers out.
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Featured image adapted from Unsplash.
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