AIZAWL, July 27 - Mizoram Police has issued an order prohibiting animal sacrifice in the state.
The order came after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India sent a letter to Mizoram�s Director General of Police requesting that all possible measures be taken to stop the illegal transport and killing of animals ahead of Bakrid.
The Mizoram Police order, signed by AIG Zosangliana for DGP of Mizoram on July 16, directed superintendents of the 11 districts of Mizoram to ensure that illegal animal sacrifices do not occur in the state, as was also advised by the Animal Welfare Board of India in its June 18 circular.
PETA India commended the Mizoram Police for its life-saving action, which will protect thousands of animals from �illegal slaughter.�
In its letter, PETA India pointed out that on two matters regarding the sacrifice and killing of animals for meat, the Supreme Court ruled that animals can be slaughtered only in officially licensed slaughterhouses and that municipal authorities must ensure compliance with this ruling.
Central government laws permit the slaughter of animals only in registered or licensed slaughter houses equipped with species-specific stunning equipment. While the killing of camels for meat is prohibited in India, the practice is prevalent during Bakrid. And laws related to transporting animals are also frequently violated during the festival.
�All religions call for compassion, while none require killing or eating animals and hacking animals to death with weapons is cruel," said PETA India Advocacy Associate Pradeep Ranjan Doley Barman.
Elaborating on �animal sacrifices,� Barman added that animal slaughtered outside of slaughter houses by untrained butchers was illegal and comes under �animal sacrifice� category.
