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NewsVoir New Delhi [India], March 31: In wake of the recent outrage surrounding the painting of an elephant named Chanchal in Jaipur for a photoshoot made by Julia Buruleva, World Animal Protection has taken a grim view of the entire sequence of events that has led to this most unfortunate display of animal cruelty in the UNESCO World Heritage City of Jaipur in Rajasthan. This incident, yet again highlights the rampant abuse of captive elephants in Jaipur in Amer Fort and Haathi Gaon to cater to tourist whims and fancies. There is no excuse to paint an elephant for a photoshoot because this denigrates the natural state of the animal. The incident also shows glaring loopholes in administrative abilities in caring for the captive elephants in Jaipur that are already under extreme stress and pain due to their totally unnatural incarceration and daily abuse due to rides and continual interaction with tourists, including foreign tourists like the one who has caused the cruelty that has justifiably enraged people from all walks of people who care for India's National Heritage Animal. Although it appears that the shoot took place late last year in December, 2025, it bears questioning how this photo shoot was approved by the Rajasthan Forest Department for a Schedule I animal that is accorded the highest level of protection under India's Wildlife Protection Act. This incident really brings to light the inadequacies in implementation of both moral and legal principles when it comes to protecting captive elephants in India. There is the cardinal issue of the stocking of captive elephant populations by dubious means and recently the arrest of an elephant trafficker in Jaipur who was attempting to smuggle an elephant from Assam clearly shows that the trade in live elephants is alive and well. The latest amendment to the Wildlife Protection Act with regard to transactions in captive elephants also leaves the law open to misuse. "It is of cardinal importance that the Ministry Of Environment and Forests, Project Elephant and the Rajasthan Forest Department regulate the nature of all tourist activities with captive elephants in Jaipur, including foreign tourists, to ensure that abusive activities toward captive elephants do not take place," says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director of World Animal Protection in India. Earlier this month, the Rajasthan government has informed the Rajasthan High Court that it was taking steps to ensure the welfare of captive elephants at Amer Fort. "Apart from interim welfare steps, it is necessary to take concrete steps, long overdue, to initiate the process of phasing out elephant rides in Amer Fort altogether, and retire the remaining elephants in a sanctuary," says Gajender Kumar Sharma, Country Director, World Animal Protection in India. World Animal Protection in India is raising awareness among tour companies to not offer elephant rides in places like Jaipur. The latest companies that have taken the wildlife friendly pledge of World Animal Protection to not promote elephant rides and wild animals in entertainment include UnBound Expeditions, Going Wild Tours, Hetalbon Resort, Wild Paw Adventures and NorthEast Travels. These companies can encourage tourists not to undertake activities like Julia Buruleva has done to exploit captive animals. It has been reported that the elephant who was coloured, named Chanchal, died in February, 2026. In the wake of this incident, there is every reason to reascertain the cause of her death. World Animal Protection has also noted the capture of four allegedly wolf dog hybrid puppies in Kadbanwadi area of Indapur tehsil in Pune district. World Animal Protection strongly emphasises that these animals should be treated humanely regardless of their genetic makeup. There is very sophisticated scientific evidence with World Animal Protection that establishes the importance of scientific and respectful treatment of hybrid animals and it is emphasised that the Maharashtra Forest Department apply the precautionary principle and ensure humane treatment of these puppies. World Animal Protection also advocates a cautionary approach to the Neelgai domestication project that has been reported in the media in Bihar Agricultural University (BAU)'s Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture. The captive animals that are part of this initiative should be treated humanely and this project should not lead to commercialisation of wild animals for short term profits. Today is Mahavir Jayanti. On this occasion, the message of ahimsa(non violence) as the ultimate virtue needs to be restated with respect to our relationship with all animals under the current circumstances. Wild animals are not entertainment. Wild animals are not meant for captivity displays where they need to be coloured as props to fulfil vanity wishes. Elephants live in the wild, where they socialise with their kin and form family bonds like humans. Elephants belong in the wild. There is no pride in colouring or riding an elephant. Wildlife belongs in the wild. For more information please contact : Gajender Kumar Sharma Email : [email protected]. Phone : 93133332823 (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same.)
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): In a move to uphold animal welfare and maintain public hygiene, the Delhi Government has issued a strict advisory against the illegal killing and sacrifice of cows, calves, camels, and other prohibited animals during the Bakra-Eid on June 7, a release said. The advisory issued by the Delhi Government outlines strict guidelines to ensure lawful and hygienic practices during Bakra Eid. Also Read | Chinnaswamy Stampede: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Suspends Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda, Orders Arrest of Representative of RCB and Others After FIR. It m ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], June 27 (ANI): A female student was allegedly gang-raped inside a law college in Kolkata's Kasba on Wednesday evening. The police have arrested all three accused within 24 hours. The three accused, named as Monojit Mishra (31), Zaib Ahmed (19), and Pramit Mukhopadhyay (20), were former students or staff members of the same law college. Also Read | Student Gang-Raped at South Kolkata Law College: Police Arrest 3 Youths for Sexually Assaulting Young Woman Inside Law College. According to the police, the accused named in the FIR will be produced before the A.C.J. ...Read More >
Noida: Liquor revenue in the city jumped by 35% in the first quarter of 2025-26 compared to the same period last year. The city recorded Rs 625 crore in liquor revenue from April to June 2025, compared to Rs 462 crore during the same period in 2024-25.According to excise department data, the revenue in the first quarter of 2023-24 was Rs 430 crore, showing a 7% growth between 2023-24 and 2024-25 and a much larger jump this year.The sharp rise is attributed to the new liquor policy in the state, which made significant structural changes to the retail and licensing system.The month-wise revenue ...Read More >
Hyderabad: In a significant boost for 'Make in India' and 'Atmanirbharta' in the aerospace and defence sector, and Hyderabad's growing stature as a global aerospace hub, the complete fuselage of the Rafale fighter jet will now be made in India at Hyderabad. This move marks the first time that these Rafale components will be manufactured outside France for the Indian as well as global markets.French aerospace major Dassault Aviation has signed four production transfer agreements with Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) for manufacturing key sections of the Rafale fighter jet, including the lateral ...Read More >
Bengaluru: Concerns have been raised following the report of another tigress' death in Karnataka on Saturday, coming close on the heels of the shocking incident involving the death of a tigress and her four cubs. According to forest officials, the latest death has been reported from the Gundre Forest Range in Bandipur, located in Chamarajanagar district. Authorities, based on preliminary investigation, have stated that the tigress, estimated to be between 4 and 5 years old, appears to have died of natural causes. However, the post-mortem report is awaited for confirmation. The carcass was d ...Read More >
Jaipur: Police in Didwana have stepped up their probe into a cross-border smuggling case in which they arrested two arms and drug smugglers on June 27 for supplying Austrian Glock and Chinese Norinco pistols. It has emerged that the case has links to a massive Rs 300-crore heroin consignment seized by Punjab's Amritsar police near the India-Pakistan border in Barmer on June 30. Canada-based Joben Kaler was identified as the main overseas handler of the heroin consignment. Didwana-Kuchaman police had arrested Mohammad Ilyas from Khunkhuna and Amarjeet Singh Takhar, alias Prince, from Jalandhar ...Read More >
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], July 4: India's mining and construction equipment sector is poised for significant growth, projected to expand from $16 billion to $45 billion by 2030*. To support this surge, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV), a wholly owned subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, today launched the all-new BharatBenz Construction and Mining range comprising of their HX and Torqshift series models. This heavy-duty truck series directly addresses the critical need for reliable, high-performance vehicles as large contractors increasingly invest in owned assets and modernize their ag ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], July 5 (ANI): The Meghalaya Forest Department organised an outreach programme for the personnel of the 193rd Border Security Force (BSF) Battalion at Ranikor, Gumaghat Border Outpost (BOP) on the Indo-Bangla border in South-West Khasi Hills (SWKH) district. The main objectives of the outreach programme was to sensitise the BSF personnel on how to deal with herds of wild elephants they often encounter while discharging duty on the international border as well as raise awareness among BOP officials about various forms of wildlife crime, current trends in wildlife traff ...Read More >
This is a Mint Premium article gifted to you. Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. New Delhi: The debate on laboratory-grown meat, dairy, and egg products may soon be settled, with the issue reaching India's apex food regulator, three people aware of the development said. The development comes in the backdrop of concerns about public health, food security and ecological sustainability. While the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has put in place a regulatory framework for plant-based protein products, manufacturers and sellers of fermentation-derived and cultivated protein ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): In a move to uphold animal welfare and maintain public hygiene, the Delhi Government has issued a strict advisory against the illegal killing and sacrifice of cows, calves, camels, and other prohibited animals during the Bakra-Eid on June 7, a release said. The advisory issued by the Delhi Government outlines strict guidelines to ensure lawful and hygienic practices during Bakra Eid. It mandates that all sacrificial rituals must occur exclusively at designated locations, explicitly prohibiting sacrifices on roadsides, streets, or any public spaces. It emphas ...Read More >
Guwahati/Morigaon, Jun 6 (PTI) The flood situation in Assam continued to be critical with over 5.6 lakh people reeling under the deluge in 16 districts, an official bulletin said on Friday. The toll in this year's floods and landslides stands at 21, with two more deaths reported on Thursday. Also Read | Thane Shocker: Wife Booked for Hurling Hot Oil on Autorickshaw Driver During Fight Over Domestic Issues in Kalyan. Wildlife has also been affected with nearly 70 per cent of the Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary in Morigaon district facing inundation, an official said. The Regional Meteorological ...Read More >
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], June 7 (ANI): Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar said that the 'government of the day is handicapped' as it can't register a first information report and said that the three-decades-old judicial order provides a 'virtually impregnable cover'. The Vice-President of India, Jagdeep Dhankhar, today said, 'The Government of the day is handicapped. It can't register an FIR. Because there is a judicial order. And that judicial order is more than three decades old. It provides virtually impregnable cover. Unless permission is accorded by a functionary at the highest level in ...Read More >
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], June 7 (ANI): Two top Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) officials -- secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam -- resigned from their posts during an emergency managing committee meeting held on Saturday, accepting 'moral responsibility' for stampede near M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. The incident occurred during celebrations following Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL title win and claimed 11 lives and left dozens injured. KSCA President Raghuram Bhat confirmed the development, saying that the resignations were discussed and accep ...Read More >
Bengaluru: In an incident of concern, the unnatural death of a tigress and her three cubs, probably due to poisoning, came to light in the Male Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary in Karnataka's Chamarajanagar district on Thursday. Addressing media persons in Bengaluru, Forests, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre announced that an investigation has been ordered into the incident and officials have been directed to submit a detailed report within three days. The probe will be conducted by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF). "Karnataka stands second in the count ...Read More >
Jaipur, June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on Friday, launched a scathing attack on former Rajasthan Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot, accusing him of trying to tarnish his image for political gains over the Sanjivani Credit Cooperative Society scam. Gehlot has brought back the emphasis on the Sanjivani scam and said that Union Minister Shekhawat should withdraw the defamation case filed against him and come forward for talks to ensure justice for the victims of the scam. He also claimed that if Union Minister Shekhawa ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): The 17th edition of the joint military exercise 'Nomadic Elephant 2025' between India and Mongolia is currently underway at the Special Forces Training Centre in Ulaanbaatar, the Indian Army said. According to the Indian Army, the training focuses on conducting non-conventional operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain under a United Nations mandate. The objective is to enhance the operational capabilities of both forces. Participating contingents are actively exchanging best practices in counter-terrorism operations and precision sniping, thereby impro ...Read More >
Mumbai: Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will hold a joint protest march of their parties in the city on July 5 against what they allege is imposition of Hindi in the state's schools from Class 1 through the new three-language policy. This will be the first time they will come together on a political platform after Raj Thackeray's decision to quit Shiv Sena to form MNS nearly two decades ago.There has been speculation of a reunion of the estranged cousins for the coming civic polls, and the protest march is being seen as the first step in that direction, reports Chaitanya Marpakwar.Uddhav and Raj had ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 28 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the centenary celebrations of the revered Jain spiritual leader Acharya Shri 108 Vidyanand Ji Maharaj at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital on Saturday. The celebrations mark the formal commencement of a year-long national tribute to the spiritual leader, being organised by the Union Culture Ministry in collaboration with the Bhagwan Mahaveer Ahimsa Bharti Trust, Delhi. Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Rashtrasant Paramparacharya Shri 108 Pragyasagar Ji Muniraj also graced the occasio ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jun 29 (PTI) The Congress on Sunday attacked the Centre and Rajasthan governments over the reported plan to redraw the boundaries of the Sariska Tiger Reserve for the reactivation of over 50 mining operations, saying the move would be "ecologically devastating". The opposition party also said that with the Rajasthan and Union environment ministers both being from Alwar, this "double engine" cannot be supporting such a move. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh shared on X a media report which claimed that a plan to redraw the boundaries of Rajasthan's ...Read More >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: A heartening chapter is unfolding deep within the emerald wilderness of Similipal Tiger Reserve in Odisha, where a Royal Bengal tigress named Zeenat, originally from Maharashtra, is believed to be carrying a new generation of cubs -- a milestone that could reshape the future of the region's famed tiger population. Brought to Similipal in 2023 as part of a bold genetic diversification project, Zeenat was tasked with an extraordinary mission: to infuse new bloodlines into a population long shadowed by the risks of inbreeding, particularly among Similipal's rare melanistic (black-co ...Read More >
Viral video shows AI cameras spotting a herd of elephants. (Photo: X/susantananda3) Elephants in Odisha's forests often face the threat of train collisions on railway tracks, as highlighted by multiple reports over the years. To prevent such accidents, authorities installed four AI cameras in the Rourkela Forest Division. A post on X (formerly Twitter) by Susanta Nanda, a retired Indian Forest Service officer, stated that the use of AI cameras effectively averted another potential accident. In t ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], June 5 (ANI): The Uttarakhand Government has suspended three engineers from the Public Works Department (PWD) over the damage to an under-construction bridge at Tharali in Chamoli district. Secretary of the Public Works Department, Pankaj Kumar Pandey, issued the suspension orders on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, said an official release. According to the release, under the leadership of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, concrete and decisive steps are being taken in the direction of transparent and accountable governance in the stat ...Read More >
Guwahati: The flood situation across Assam continues to be critical, with over 5.6 lakh people in 16 districts reeling under the severe flood, an official bulletin confirmed on Friday. The cumulative death toll from this year's floods and landslides has now climbed to 21, following two more fatalities reported on Thursday. Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge! The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) bulletin stated that floodwaters are currently submerging 57 revenue circles and 1,406 villages, impacting a total of 5,61,644 individuals ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], July 2 (ANI): Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday announced the completion of the four-lane Greenfield Bandikui Spur and said that it is expected to reduce travel time between Delhi and Jaipur to three hours. The 66.916-kilometre-long spur has been constructed at the cost of Rs 2,016 crore. Gadkari stated that the four-lane Greenfield Bandikui Spur resolves the issue of a 'lack of direct route' between the Delhi-Vadodara Expressway and Jaipur, which previously forced commuters to undertake longer journeys. 'We have successfully completed t ...Read More >
New Delhi: Was it the pitch? Was it the conditions? Was it the bowling? The questions doing the rounds after yet another strange show in good batting conditions by India were many. But with the exception of Shubman Gill, who became just the second Indian captain, after Mohammad Azharuddin, to score hundreds in consecutive matches in England, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, few India batters managed to answer them in a satisfactory manner. After being put into bat by England, India looked like they were in control at various points during the day but then somehow contrived to gift away wickets and end t ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], January 8 (ANI): With an eye on the upcoming Delhi assembly elections, Congress on Wednesday announced 'Jeevan Raksha Yojana', promising to provide Rs 25 lakh health cover per family. The announcement was made at a press conference by former Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot here. Gehlot termed the scheme a "game changer" in Delhi "...We have given a lot of coverage to the health... 'Jeevan Raksha Yojana' of the Delhi government will be similar to 'Chiranjeevi Yojana' of the Rajasthan government...I am happy that I got the opportunity to launch this scheme here," the ...Read More >
Leh (Ladakh) [India], January 8 (ANI): Padma Desal delivered a stellar performance, scoring six goals to lead Sham Eagles to a commanding 8-3 victory over Chiktan Queens in the women's category of the Ice Hockey League Season 2. The Eagles kicked off their campaign impressively, setting a new season record for the highest-scoring match. In the men's category, Changthan Shans maintained their perfect start, defeating Zangskar Chadar Tamers 7-2 to remain unbeaten after three games. Purig Warriors ended Sham Wolves' unbeaten streak with an impressive 5-2 victory, while the match between Humas War ...Read More >