Mumbai Man Choked, Daughter Beaten Up For Opposing Pigeon Feeding

A woman was beaten up with an iron rod and her elderly father was choked after they opposed to pigeons being fed in front of their residential complex in a suburb near Mumbai.

On Sunday, 65-year-old Asha Vyas was feeding pigeons when another resident of the area Mahendra Patel opposed it. Hearing an argument between the two, the latter's daughter Premal Patel came down and intervened.

As per Premal Patel, when she asked about why her father was being abused, a resident from Vyas's building Somesh Agnihotri and two others beat her up with an iron rod and tried to strangulate her father.

A case has been registered against Vyas, Agnihotri and two others. CCTV footage and eyewitness statements are being analysed to further investigate the matter.

The incident comes amid growing demand for the closure of traditional 'kabutarkhanas' in Mumbai over health risks.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said "abrupt" closure of kabutarkhanas (pigeon feeding spots) in Mumbai was not advisable, and asked the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ensure controlled feeding of the birds.

Any decisions concerning pigeon-feeding zones must be accompanied by alternative and compassionate solutions to prevent the starvation of birds, he said.

The BMC on Tuesday took action against 142 persons for feeding pigeons at 'kabutarkhanas' across Mumbai and recovered a fine of Rs 68,700 between July 13 and August 3.

Currently, a writ petition on the issue of 'kabutarkhanas' is being heard in the Bombay High Court.

The Bombay High Court last week said feeding a congregation of pigeons was an act causing a public nuisance and also posed a health hazard to people, and directed the BMC to file FIRs against people engaging in such activity.

Last month, the court had restrained the BMC from demolishing any of the old heritage 'kabutarkhana' (pigeon feeding spots) in the metropolis, but had said that it cannot permit feeding of these birds.