Bengal bans circus animal shows

Bengal bans circus animal shows
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

Calcutta, Dec 21: The West Bengal Government today banned show of animals in a circus with immediate effect under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1966.

Stating this, state's Forest Minister Jogesh Chandra Burman told newsmen that the ban was clamped following a tragic death of a circus artiste by a tiger during a show in Howrah recently.

Besides, he said the Act would be strictly in force particularly in view of rising incidents of teasing of animals in zoos. The ban would be applied in show of tigers, lions, panthers, bears and monkeys by circus owners.

Burman said the state government was considering the proposal of banning elephant shows in circuses.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened in the Alipore Zoological Gardens after a visitor trespassed into the tiger enclosure and was killed by the big cat.