13 May,2021 05:53 AM IST | Mumbai | Shirish Vaktania
Sunish Subramanian Kunju approached the cops with a complaint
A Thane resident was booked after his pet turtle fell from his 20th-floor apartment and died. The police said the man did not come forward to accept that the reptile belonged to him.
The case against Pratik Uttam Choure, who lives at Coral building of Highland Haven near Balkum, was registered after Sunish Subramanian Kunju, an honorary district animal welfare officer, approached the Kapurbawdi police alleging negligence.
The red-eared slider turtle was with Choure for the past 10 years. Representation pic
Sunish said the pet was a red-eared slider turtle that had been kept on a French window at Choure's home. It crashed to the ground and got smashed, he said.
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"The incident occurred on May 1 at 1.30 pm at Coral building and a society member spotted the dead turtle. He posted a photo in their society WhatsApp group, but nobody took its ownership as late as 8.30 pm," said Sunish. He learnt about the crushed turtle after a resident sent him a photo.
"Later, another society member wrote in the WhatsApp group that the turtle belonged to Pratik Choure who lives on the 20th floor. Only after this post, Choure apparently admitted that it was his pet. He also said that the turtle was with him for the past 10 years but never got the carcass removed. It was later disposed of by the society guard," said Sunish.
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The animal welfare officer said he wrote to Zone 5 DCP Dr. Vinaykumar M Rathod, ACP P.N. Shirsath and Senior Inspector A.V. Deshmukh of Kapurbawdi police station about the alleged negligence and attached pictures of the dead animal.
Deshmukh said they have registered a case of negligence against Choure under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. He said, "We will check the CCTV footage of the society and will take action once our investigation is completed." Choure was granted bail on payment of Rs 50, said the police.
