Source: www.kalingatimes.com
KENDRAPARA, ORISSA, INDIA, November 12, 2009: State forest department today registered a case against the head of a Hindu mutt under animal welfare legal provisions. That is because A soft-shell-Gangetic fresh water turtle, parts of which bears resemblance with Lord Jagannath (a form of Lord Vishnu), was taken to the mutt to be worshiped.
The case was registered under Section 9 of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 against Mouni Baba, the head of mutt in Khadipala village, said wildlife officials. For devotees, the delicate species with markings on its carapace and bearing resemblance with state’s presiding deity – Lord Jagannath – is the reincarnation of God.
The authorities disagree. “We were forced to register a case as the animal is in a state of distress. It’s a case of mistaken identity. The juvenile soft shell turtles do have the markings on the carapace that has the look of God’s eyes. As these species grow, the shell markings vanish,” said Prasanna Kumar Behera, Divisional Forest Officer, Rajnagar wildlife forest division. “The animal, an endangered fresh water species, is accorded Schedule-1 category under Wildlife Protection Act.”