Often we think of animal sacrifice as something that went on thousands of years ago. But, it still goes on in places like India. I don't mean to pick on them, as this goes on in many parts of the world still (including practitioners of Santaria here in the US).Over 200 animals were sacrificed to Shakti, one of the Hindu gods.
Local politicians besides the cops allegedly joined the native residents in offering animals sacrifice as part of Dussehra rituals with en masse slaughtering of nearly 200 animals at three prominent Shakti shrines in this coastal district during midnight hours on Friday.
According to reports reaching here, the gory ritual was performed as the yelling of the animals rented the air in Satabhaya Panchuvarahi, Osaranga Maa Jagulai and Badagaon Maa Matia Shakti shrines.
Besides a buffalo which was put to gallows in Satabhaya, about 194 goats and sheep were slaughtered en masse at the three shrines. The ritual continued till the wee hours of Saturday.
The devotees of these prominent Shakti Peethas paid scant regard to the laws meant for prevention of cruelty to animals.
Law took the back seat as tradition was allowed to prevail due to covert patronage extended to this superstitious practice by local politicians, police and revenue officials, charged Bijoy Kabi, an animal rights activist.
"We are deeply shocked to note that quite a few politicians besides the local PRI members offered sacrificial goats to the deities. The first sacrificial goat butchered at Satabhaya shrine was in fact offered by the Rajnagar police," he alleged.
Photo by Aditi Pany
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