In an interesting turn of events, a herd of nine goats that were put behind the bars in Barisal, Bangladesh, nearly a year ago for grazing in a local graveyard were set free on Friday. The goats were "arrested" on December 6, 2022 for eating leaves and grass from trees in the graveyard.
Shahriar Sachib Rajib, the owner of the goats, had appealed to the newly elected Barishal City Corporation (BCC) Mayor Abul Khair Abdullah to release the goats that were help captive for nearly a year. Following his appeal, the nine animals were handed over to Rajib in the presence of current BCC administrative officials Alamgir Hossain, and Road Inspectors Reazul Karim and Imran Hossain Khan.
Rajib was photographed receiving his goats upon their release by the BCC officials.
While it was not clear why the goats received the seemingly harsh punishment of being confined for about a year; Swapon Kumar Das, the BCC administrative official at that time, confirmed that the animals were indeed taken away from the owner and held captive.
Not the first animals to be imprisoned
This is not the first time that animals found themselves on the wrong side of the law. In November 2017, a herd of eight donkeys were arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Jalaun district for eating and destroying plants worth Rs 5 lakh outside the Urai jail. The donkeys walked free after spending four days in the jail.
In February 2016, a goat named Babli was arrested for eating flowers from the district magistrate’s garden in Janakpur, Chhattisgarh. Known as a "repeat offender", Babli was released two days after being in the prison. Her owner, Abdul Hassan, was charged with trespassing and damaging the property for letting Babli munch on the plants in the magistrate's garden.
Russian authorities in June 2013 caught a cat after being found trying to smuggle mobile phones and charges in a jail in Syktyvkar city of the Komi province. The gadgets were taped on the feline's belly.
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