Mumbai: In a first-of-its-kind case, the Mahim police have registered an FIR against an unidentified person for allegedly feeding pigeons on the busy L.J. Road in Mahim, despite a clear prohibition issued by the Bombay High Court.
FIR Filed Under BNS Sections
According to officials, an unknown car driver has been booked for feeding grains to pigeons in violation of public safety and health norms. The FIR has been filed under Sections 223, 270, and 271 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to disobedience to lawfully promulgated orders and negligent acts likely to spread infection or pose danger to public health.
Action Triggered by HC Rebuke
This move follows a sharp rebuke from the Bombay High Court after it came to light that pigeon feeding continued unabated at the iconic Kabutarkhana in Dadar, despite the court’s explicit ban. The High Court had earlier directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to take strict action and register offences against violators
Public Health Risk Cited
Civic authorities and the police are expected to intensify enforcement in accordance with the court’s directives to curb this practice. Health experts have long linked pigeon feeding to serious respiratory illnesses, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis, due to prolonged exposure to bird droppings in densely populated urban areas.
