Ambanis’ Jamnagar animal rehabilitation centre gets buffaloes, goats which were ‘rescued’ near Indo-Nepal border
The other rescued creatures included 328 pigeons which were “released back into the wild, and two chickens were adopted locally”, it said.
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The animals were meant to be sacrificed at a ritual. Express photoAt least 400 buffaloes and goats “rescued” by nonprofits Humane Society International (HSI), India and People for Animals (PFA) — that were purportedly to be slaughtered at a mass animal sacrifice ritual at Gadhimai in Nepal — have been brought to Vantara, a wildlife and rehabilitation centre in Jamnagar set up by the Reliance Industries. A statement from HSI Wednesday said 347 goats and 74 buffaloes were among more than 750 animals rescued by HSI, India and PFA, along with the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a central armed police force under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
The animals were seized at the Indo-Nepal border checkpost, days before the Gadhimai ritual was meant to be conducted on December 8 and December 9, the statement said. The other rescued creatures included 328 pigeons which were “released back into the wild, and two chickens were adopted locally”, it said.
The Gadhimai festival, named after a goddess, takes place at the Gadhimai temple in Bariyarpur village of Bara district in Nepal every five years in the months of November-December and is claimed to be the world’s largest ritualistic sacrifice event.
The HSI spokesperson said in a statement, “A team of 10 veterinarians and para-veterinarians from Vantara reached Bihar on December 8 and carefully examined the animals before they began their journey to Jamnagar.”
Alokparna Sengupta, managing director, HSI, India, was quoted as saying, “This is the best possible outcome for these animals who we were able to rescue from the Gadhimai sacrifice. There could be no better place than Vantara to provide safe haven for animals who have been abused and who would have met a horrific end.” According to the HSI, “the majority of these animals are illegally transported from India into Nepal owing to porous borders”.
Vantara is an animal rescue centre set up in Jamnagar by the Reliance Industries and the Reliance Foundation.
It was inaugurated in February this year and is spearheaded by Anant Ambani.
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