Humans 'raping' animals: 80 cases in India in 10 years; what law says; what activists want

A monitor lizard allegedly raped by 4 men in Maharashtra in March. A cow allegedly raped by a man in Uttar Pradesh's Lucknow in April.

If you're sickened by these crimes, get ready to be shocked further. Between 2010 and 2020, 82 cases of sexual abuse of animals took place in India. This was claimed in a report by animal rights groups, including the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations and All Creatures Great and Small.

The number could be even higher, since crimes against animals are not compiled by the National Crime Records Bureau, or NRCB, according to activists. Here are some other horrible cases which came to light in recent years.

In July 2018, activists claimed that a female dog in Goa's Siolim village had been brutalised with a screwdriver being pushed into its private parts. In the same month, the alleged rape of a pregnant goat in Haryana's Mewat grabbed headlines. The animal's owner claimed that 8 men had assaulted the goat, leading to its death.

More recently, in September last year, a 60-year-old was arrested in Rajasthan's Kota for allegedly raping a stray dog. A month later, a 67-year-old was accused of raping his neighbour's pet dog in Haryana's Gurugram, and the act was caught on camera.

Such crimes are covered by Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which refers to "carnal intercourse against the order of nature". The provision orders life imprisonment or 10-year-imprisonment with a monetary fine.

However, activists claim stricter laws and greater efforts by the government are needed to prevent animal abuse. A new law to replace the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, a new ministry for animal welfare and protection, and compilation of animal-related crimes by the NCRB have been recommended by animal rights activists.