Kerala Youth Congress' calf slaughter act: PETA wants action against accused

New Delhi: Animal rights body PETA has written to the Kerala police demanding strict action against the Youth Congress workers allegedly involved in the public butchering of a calf in the state’s Kannur district. [caption id=“attachment_3484805” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has also called for the accused to be psychiatrically evaluated and counselled saying such people may harm humans in the future. It said that the Centre’s ban on the sale of cattle for slaughter exists to “eliminate cruelty” to animals at markets. “All the accused should be booked under Section 429 and all other relevant sections of the law and the accused should be required to undergo psychiatric counselling and evaluation,” a PETA statement said on Monday. Section 429, which applies to cruelty to animals valued at over Rs 50, stipulates imprisonment for up to five years. “The US Federal Bureau of Investigation has found that a history of cruelty to animals regularly appears in the backgrounds of serial rapists and murderers,” it added. Three Youth Congress activists were on Monday suspended in connection with the incident as part of a protest against the Centre’s notification banning the sale of cows for slaughter.