“Invisible No More”: Delhi High Court Hears FIAPO's PIL Demanding NCRB to Track Crimes Against Animals

New Delhi — The Delhi High Court heard Writ Petition (Civil) No. 7598 of 2025, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO), urging the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) to start recording crimes against animals. The petition was filed and represented by Advocates Mukesh, Varnika Singh, and Khuloos Aziz Chawala.

The Court permitted FIAPO to file a supplementary affidavit in support of its prayers, and listed the matter for further hearing on 16th July 2025.

FIAPO’s PIL highlights a glaring gap in India’s national crime statistics: despite frequent and brutal incidents of animal cruelty — from beatings and maiming to killings — no centralised system exists to track or report such crimes. This omission severely limits efforts to gauge the scale of abuse, allocate resources, or drive policy reforms.

“Including animal cruelty in NCRB’s database is not just a bureaucratic exercise — it’s a necessary step toward accountability and justice,” said Bharati Ramachandran, CEO of FIAPO. “Without visibility, these crimes remain invisible in the eyes of the law.”

Crimes against animals are already recognised under:

Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (replacing Sections 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860), which penalises killing, poisoning, or maiming animals with imprisonment up to five years, a fine, or both; and

Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, which criminalises a wide range of cruel acts.

However, these crimes are currently not included in the NCRB’s annual Crime in India publication, undermining the capacity of law enforcement agencies to prevent and prosecute offenders.

FIAPO has asked the Hon’ble Court to direct the NCRB to:

Begin collecting and publishing annual data on crimes against animals;

Create a dedicated category for such crimes in its Crime in India reports;

Collaborate with State Animal Welfare Boards and law enforcement to ensure consistent and accurate reporting.

This petition represents a landmark step in recognising animal cruelty as a serious social issue requiring national attention, legal accountability, and systemic tracking.