Zoo Official Who Named Lion-Lioness Couple Akbar-Sita Suspended

Amidst a brewing controversy over the naming of a lion and lioness as Akbar and Sita in Tripura’s Sepahijala zoo, the state government has suspended its principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife and ecotourism), Prabin Lal Agrawal. The decision came following a complaint filed by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to the Calcutta High Court, alleging that the names chosen hurt religious sentiments.

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The Naming Controversy and VHP Complaint

The lion and lioness, originally residents of Tripura’s Sepahijala zoo, were relocated to the North Bengal Wild Animals Park in Siliguri as part of an animal exchange program on February 12. The controversy began when Prabin Lal Agrawal, then serving as Tripura’s chief wildlife warden, recorded the names Akbar and Sita in the dispatch register while sending them to Siliguri. The VHP, expressing concern over the chosen names, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Jalpaiguri circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court on February 21. The court, in response to the PIL, ordered the changing of the names of the lion pair. The VHP argued that the names were irrational and amounted to blasphemy.

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Discrepancy in Naming Attribution

In response to the controversy, the Bengal Forest Department clarified that the names were given by Tripura, and any modification should be the responsibility of Tripura zoo authorities. VHP subsequently filed a writ petition in the High Court, claiming that the names were offensive and required rectification. The Tripura government sought clarification from Prabin Lal Agrawal, who denied naming the lion couple as Sita and Akbar. However, an investigation revealed that the names were indeed given by Tripura wildlife officials during the animal exchange program. Subsequently, Agrawal faced suspension for his alleged involvement in the controversial naming.

The High Court expressed displeasure over the naming controversy, and the matter is expected to be taken up by a regular bench shortly. The suspension of Agrawal signals the government’s response to the controversy, raising questions about the responsibility of officials in naming animals and the potential impact on religious sentiments.

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