Monkey kept in cage for 5 years inside police station

Balasore, Oct 14 (UNI) In a clear violation of Wildlife Protection Act, a monkey has been kept in a cage for last five years inside the Remuna police station.

The monkey, captured by the villagers of Haripur and handed over to the Remuna police, has found home at the police station ever since.

The animal has been kept in a cage constructed by the police personnel near the entry gate.

N K Dhir, Remuna police station in-charge, said the police officials and their family members took lot of care of the animal, right from bathing it to providing regular meals.

''We had provided medical care when the animal fell sick in the past,'' the police officials said proudly, little knowing that caging a schedule animal was a criminal offence.

Animal activist Major General(retired) R K Sahoo said since the animal was treated as schedule II animal in the Wildlife Protection Act, caging it, that too inside a police station was unlawful.

He demanded the monkey to be released forthwith in consultation with the forest officials.

However, no forest officials were available for comment on the incident.

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