Animal cruelty , also known as animal abuse , is the infliction of suffering upon the animals. For centuries , animals have been brutally killed or hunted down by humans for pride and entertainment. But recently , cases of animal abuse have occurred and come into limelight from different parts of India. These cases have traumatised the entire nation as the animals have been a subject of inhumane physical as well as emotional suffering.

On 27 th May , people woke up to a heart breaking news as a pregnant elephant died after having a cracker-laden fruit left behind by locals in Palakkad district of Kerala. The elephant died a sorrowful death as it suffered with excruciating pain. This sparked an outrage throughout the country. A theory suggested that the fruit was meant for wild boars who destroy the crop but be it an elephant or a wild boar , it does not prove that the locals are not guilty.

Days after this terrible incident , a news surfaced that a Cow in Himachal Pradesh was fed crackers by the owner’s neighbour. The cows jaw was blown and blood oozed out. A case was registered and the locals demanded strict action against the offender.

In another similar incident , locals in Trichy village of Tamil Nadu fed a bomb laden meat ball to a jackal who died on the spot. 12 people have been arrested by the Tamil Nadu forest department.

In another appalling incident , owners of a dog in Kerala’s Thrisur district wrapped duct tape around the dogs mouth. For two weeks , the dog survived without food and water. It was reported the owners were fed up by his barking. The tape had pierced his skin and his nasal bones were visible.

Locals in Assam lynched a leopard to death. A starving leopard who strayed near the village was trapped and killed . The leopard’s teeth and nails were removed and was paraded by the people in their village. Videos were circulated showing the inhumane incident.

In yet another case , two elephants in Chattisgarh were poisoned delibrately to death by some locals. One of them was a pregnat elephant. Both belonged to same herd and the investigation has been started by the State Forest Department.

Each year around 100 million animals die due to the cruelty towards them. These include rats , fishes , dogs , birds etc. Animal bones are used in perfumes , their skin is used to make clothes and their teeth are sold for money. They are also used in laboratries as testing equipment.

Human beings are superior race on this planet. But this does not give us the right to exploit and oppress other living beings. All are part of the nature and the nature is the one that decides who shall die. A report by PETA claims that those who abuse the animals become unsympathetic and later try these inhumane things on other Human beings. Such type of people who cannot sympathise with other living creatures can’t be labelled as human. These emotionless people must be severely punished and these cases of animal abuse must not be taken lightly. These grave incidents must be regarded as murders and emotional tortures by the law and order.