‘Cop’ posing with gun and dead wetland bird sparks furore

The NGO identified the person as a policeman posted at Naigaon Armed Police headquarters

Animal protection groups across the city were left stunned on Monday after a photograph of a ‘policeman' with a hunted wetland bird in one hand and a gun in the other emerged on social media. The photo was shared by the non-profit ACF PAWS-Mumbai.

The NGO identified the person one Yogesh Chandrakant Patil and said that he had killed an "innocent" grey heron at Shirki near Pen. Patil is posted at Naigaon Armed Police headquarters, it claimed.

Sunish Subramanian Kunju, the honorary wildlife warden of Mumbai, said the killing of the bird is a "clear" violation of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, Biological Diversity Act, 2002, Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act, 1960, Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, 1959.

He told mid-day, "I request deputy conservator of forests-Alibag, DGP of Maharashtra, SP of Alibag and Naigaon Armed Police headquarters, the animal husbandry department [Maharashtra Animal Welfare Board and Raigad District Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal] to investigate the issue and take necessary action as per the law and also kindly update me the status along with a copy of FIR / POR following to my complaint at the earliest."