In a bizarre criminal case, eight donkeys were detained last week in Jalaun district, Uttar Pradesh, because they eat expensive plants outside the Ural jail. However the UP police tweeted that they have nothing to do with the arrests.
The donkeys were detained on November 24 for destroying expensive plants that were bought by the jail authorities for Rs 5 lakh. According to reports, despite warnings, the owner Kamlesh let the donkeys roam around in the area.
"These donkeys destroyed some very expensive plants which our senior officer had arranged for planting inside the jail and despite warnings the owner let loose his animals here so we detained the donkeys," ANI quoted Urai jail head constable RK Mishra as saying.
Kamlesh later requested the authorities to release the four-legged "criminals" but they refused to free the animals. He then approached a local BJP leader Shakti Gahoi for help.
"I came here to get my donkeys released. Eight of them were locked up for four days," NDTV quoted Kamlesh as saying.
Jalaun(UP): Police release a herd of donkeys from Urai district jail. They had been detained for destroying plants outside jail and were released after four days pic.twitter.com/Wl5UJrU2tT
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) November 27, 2017
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh police have denied any such report and said they have nothing to do with their arrest.
"Dear @ndtv #uppolice has nothing to do with their arrest or custody. We request you to check your facts with us next time," UP Police tweet reads.
Dear @ndtv #uppolice has nothing to do with their arrest or custody.
— UP POLICE (@Uppolice) November 28, 2017
We request you to check your facts with us next time. https://t.co/6i9wN0nGZN
This is not the first time animals were imprisoned. In 2015, officials arrested a white pigeon in Pathankot village in India's Punjab state after the officials suspected that the bird was a spy.
The bird was arrested and put it through an X-Ray examination after a stamp that read "Tehsil Shakargarh, district Narowal" on its tail was discovered.
In 2015, a parrot was arrested in Maharashtra after an elderly woman filed a complaint against the bird. The woman in her complaint said that the parrot showered abuses at her which was taught by her stepson Suresh.
"I am being harassed for the last two years. On seeing me, the parrot uses bad language. That is why I have complained thrice in the last two years. Police called me, Suresh and the parrot to the police station. Police should investigate and seize the parrot," Zee News quoted the woman as saying in 2015.
