Activist alleges illegal slaughter at Delhi zoo; authority denies claim

New Delhi, Sep 23 (PTI) An wildlife activist approached the Prime Minister's Office alleging that animals meant for carnivores are being slaughtered inside the National Zoological Park premises without required authorisation and sought an independent probe into the alleged practice and other irregularities at the zoo.

In a complaint to the PMO sent earlier this month, wildlife activist Ajai Dubey alleged, "Fresh meat for carnivorous animals was required to be procured through government-approved tenders from authorised slaughterhouses, but animals were allegedly being slaughtered within the zoo premises since 2024 without permission from the competent authorities."

Delhi Zoo Director Sanjeet Kumar denied the allegation and said the meat supplied to carnivorous animals is procured through the GeM process and tendering.

The activist's complaint specifically seeks an investigation into the alleged slaughtering inside the zoo, including whether required permissions were obtained and whether surveillance cameras covered the location.

The MCD also said,"Delhi Zoo floats tender for supply of meat in the zoo. So, any supplier who fulfills their terms and conditions can supply the buffalo or sheep and goat meat after procuring from slaughter house. However, the zoo cannot slaughter inside it's premises."

Dubey said he recently came to know about the alleged slaughtering inside the zoo, which he claimed had been taking place since 2024 and alleged that CCTV cameras covering the location were damaged and sought investigation by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

The activist also said he had received an acknowledgement from the Prime Minister's Office regarding his complaint.

He alleged that he had been raising complaints about various alleged irregularities at the zoo for around eight years but was never included in inquiries conducted by the administration.

Dubey said he approached the PMO as he felt that inquiries conducted by the zoo administration into complaints raised by him were not impartial. His latest complaint contains allegations concerning construction works, maintenance expenditure, animal welfare, veterinary management, ticketing and other administrative matters.

One of the allegations concerns the handling of construction material supplied through the Civil Construction Unit.

Dubey alleged that cement, bricks, sand, tiles and other material, along with labour and equipment, were handed over to the workshop supervisor despite the presence of a dedicated engineering unit.

He alleged that proper stock registers, material issue records and engineering documents were not maintained to establish the use of such material. The complaint also seeks a forensic audit of procurement records, sanctions, stock registers, utilisation certificates and works executed inside the zoo.

The complaint also raises concerns over animal deaths and veterinary management, including the recent death of a Chinkara and the treatment of an injured White Tiger.

Dubey has sought an independent examination of medical records, treatment, post-mortem reports and veterinary procedures.

Dubey has further alleged that a previous incident involving the killing of a jackal inside the zoo was not subjected to an impartial inquiry. He has sought examination of CCTV footage, employee statements and departmental records related to the incident and the subsequent inquiry conducted by the zoo authorities.

The complaint also alleges organised black marketing of entry tickets involving private security personnel and some staff members. Dubey has sought examination of ticketing data, CCTV footage, security deployment records, attendance registers and financial records to determine whether the government suffered any revenue loss.

He has also alleged that more than 168 trees were felled inside the zoo between December 2024 and January 2025 without the required permission. The complaint seeks examination of records relating to the tree felling, including permissions, correspondence, site inspection reports and action taken.

In his complaint, Dubey has sought an independent investigation by agencies outside the National Zoological Park, along with financial, technical and administrative audits. He has also requested preservation of CCTV footage, procurement and veterinary records, ticketing data and other documents relevant to the allegations.