KANPUR: In a bizarre and an extremely unusual case, eight donkeys were ‘jailed’ for four days for destroying ‘costly’ flower pots and plants in Orai, Uttar Pradesh. 

Their ‘crime’ was that they allegedly ate up saplings planted in the residential block of district jail premises under national campaign ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’.

The authorities said they belonging to Kamlesh, a local, on November 24 had devoured costly saplings and other crops.

Following instructions from senior jail authorities, the eight donkeys were rounded up and ‘lodged’ in the district jail. “These donkeys ate and damaged very expensive plants worth Rs 50,000,” according to Indian Express. Kamlesh, their owner, let loose his animals despite repeated warnings. And eventually, the donkeys ended up in jail.

Then the owner made a fervent appeal to local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Shakti Gahoi, who then went to the jailer and asked him to let the donkeys go.

With a ruling party leader making the request, the prison official immediately signed the “release orders”.

Jail officials released the equines after he also “requested forgiveness” and submitted an affidavit stating he would not leave the donkeys loose in the area again.

They were handed over to their owner after the latter gave an affidavit promising they would never be seen around the prison building again, said the jail administration, adding that they locked the animals in a room inside the prison premises “to teach a lesson” to owners who leave their animals loose.

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