Police on Wednesday registered a case against six suspects and arrested two for gouging out the eyes of a she-camel in Tharparkar district after Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah ordered an inquiry into the incident.
A day earlier, the camel’s owner and a resident of the village Bangal Rind told the media that several men had abducted the animal, tied it, and severely tortured it, which included plucking out the eyes.
The Station House Officer (SHO) of Kheensar Police Station confirmed that two suspects had been arrested, while raids were underway to apprehend the remaining accused named in the case.
According to a spokesperson for the Tharparkar police, the abuse, causing loss of vision in one eye, occurred almost 10 days ago at a village located in Union Council Char Noor, Tehsil Dahli.
A case was registered at Kheensar Police Station on the complaint of the camel’s owner.
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The First Information Report (FIR) noted that the camel’s owner and several others tracked the missing animal inside a neighbouring village named Khan Muhammad Rind. The camel was reportedly tied inside a barn with its legs bound by ropes.
The complainant alleged that when the barn owners were confronted, several individuals gathered and said that the camel regularly entered their land and consumed fodder.
As per the FIR, the suspects had whipped and starved the animal in captivity for many days.
The camel’s owner claimed that he was threatened when he attempted to retrieve the camel, and before approaching the police, the affected family had sought intervention from village elders and a local panchayat for dispute resolution.
In the wake of the incident, a technical committee formed by the Tharparkar Livestock Department, headed by Deputy Director Dr Ajay Kumar Rupani, visited the village to investigate the incident and conduct a medical examination of the injured animal.
The committee’s preliminary report confirmed that the victim was a 13-year-old Dhatti-breed lactating cow camel accompanied by a four-month-old calf.
As per the report, influential local individuals allegedly captured and confined the camel before subjecting it to severe physical abuse. Veterinary experts found extensive injuries during the medical examination.
The veterinary report revealed that repeated attacks with sticks and heavy objects caused the camel’s right eye to rupture completely, resulting in permanent loss of vision. The left eye was also found to be severely swollen and injured, with further examinations planned to assess the extent of the damage.
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Medical experts also documented deep rope marks on the animal’s neck, legs, and knees, indicating prolonged restraint. The report stated that due to hunger, dehydration, and continuous abuse, the camel had become too weak to walk properly or graze.
The Livestock Department has initiated emergency treatment, including wound care and medication, and assigned staff to monitor the animal’s condition on a daily basis.
“The findings have been submitted to higher authorities so that those involved in this act of cruelty against a voiceless animal can be brought to justice in accordance with the law,” said Rupani.