Patiala, July 3 — A man from Jansua village in Rajpura has been arrested for allegedly using pitbulls and boxer dogs to hunt protected wildlife species, including porcupines, after animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi flagged the illegal activity through her office.
Acting on her intervention, the Punjab Wildlife Department and Sadar Rajpura police registered an FIR against Ajay Kumar under Sections 9, 39, and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (amended 2022). Authorities have also seized two dogs from his custody and are investigating further.
“A complaint along with a pen drive was received from Maneka Gandhi’s office, showing Instagram videos where the accused is allegedly seen using his dogs to hunt a porcupine,” said Guramanpreet Singh, Divisional Forest Officer (Wildlife), Patiala. “The videos were later deleted by the accused. We are now probing whether more animals were hunted and if there’s a network for supplying meat or animal parts.”
Porcupines, listed under Schedule IV of the Wildlife Protection Act, are classified as protected species in India. Despite this, the large rodents are frequently targeted for their meat, quills, and bones, which are believed to have medicinal value.
“As soon as the letter from Maneka Gandhi’s office reached us, a swift investigation was launched. The accused was identified and police moved in to arrest him,” the DFO added.
While two boxer dogs were recovered during the raid, police suspect more dogs were shifted elsewhere before their arrival. “We believe the accused got wind of the raid and may have hidden other dogs,” said a senior police official. “He will be questioned thoroughly, and we’re also trying to trace any buyers of porcupine meat or animal parts. Strict legal action will follow.”
Officials said this case reveals a disturbing trend in Punjab where individuals allegedly use social media to promote illegal wildlife hunting for attention and views.
The incident has sparked concern among wildlife authorities and animal welfare groups, with many calling for tighter enforcement and surveillance of such online content promoting animal cruelty.
