MUZAFFARABAD: Police in Bhimber district of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) on Saturday booked three villagers for capturing and slaughtering a Himalayan grey goral — a rare and protected species — in a serious violation of the Wildlife Act, 2014.

The First Information Report (FIR) was lodged at the Choki (Samahni) police station at 1:20am against Sajid Hassan, his brother Mohammad Nawaz and their fellow villager Mohammad Mushtaq — all residents of Bandala Baghcha village.

The FIR was registered on the complaint of Aamir Rafique, a game watcher, after video clips of the grisly act went viral on social media.

The complainant stated that he came across the video showing the trio capturing and slaughtering the near-threatened species of deer. He said he rushed to the scene with three colleagues, but by the time they reached, the culprits had fled.

Mohammad Salman, an official at Choki police station, confirmed that the suspects had been booked under Section 10(2) of the AJK Wildlife Act, 2014, which prohibits the hunting and killing of protected wildlife.

However, he said that two of them — Sajid Hassan and Mohammad Mushtaq — had obtained pre-arrest bail from the additional tehsil criminal court, while the third accused was still at large.

“Our teams are deployed in the village and we will track him down soon,” the official added.

The Himalayan grey goral (Naemorhedus goral bedfordi), a species native to the Himalayan region and found in both Pakistan and India, is listed as “Near Threatened” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. Its declining population is largely attributed to habitat destruction, illegal hunting, and competition with livestock.

Of the two disturbing video clips, one shows a man dressed in a bright blue shalwar kameez restraining the terrified animal, while another individual ties a rope around its neck and front legs. Throughout the ordeal, the frightened goral can be heard letting out heart-wrenching cries.

In the second clip, the same man is seen slaughtering the animal, while another person begins to cut its hind legs even as it continues to breathe.

Shaista Ali, an official at the Wildlife and Fisheries Department, condemned the incident in strong terms.

“This is not only a criminal act but a deeply inhuman one,” she said, adding that “such people deserve no leniency, and we are determined to ensure they are brought to justice”.

Published in Dawn, April 13th, 2025