Disclaimer: This article contains graphic video and images of animal cruelty. Reader’s discretion is advised. 

In an absolutely disgusting and distressing case of animal cruelty, a group of men mercilessly beat a dolphin to death in UP’s Pratapgarh area, purely for their amusement. The incident came to light after the video of the gruesome act went viral on social media. 

In the video, the men can actually be seen taking joy in mercilessly killing the dolphin, which as per reports, was found swimming in the Sharda canal stream. As per the video, the men apparently killed the dolphin because they wanted to have a ‘big feast’.

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Not only are Gangetic dolphins India’s national aquatic animal, but they also belong to the Schedule 1 Protected Species under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. However, irrespective of whether an animal is endangered or not, no animal or living being deserves this treatment. 

Many people took to social media to express their outrage over the incident:

After the video went viral, Pratapgarh police identified and arrested 3 of the culprits. The search for the remaining culprits is ongoing.  The penalty for killing animals under Protected Species is imprisonment up to three years and/or a fine up to ₹25,000.