Pair jailed for beating pregnant crocodile

Two men who severely beat a pregnant crocodile at an Islamic shrine have been jailed.

Judge Abdus Salam Khan convicted the men of torturing the crocodile and sentenced them to two years in jail with hard labour, according to reports in Dhaka’s Daily Star newspaper.

The crocodile, named Pipil, was seriously injured and lost one eye after the men beat her with bamboo sticks at Khan Jahan Ali shrine in April this year, the prosecution said.

The shrine is in Bagerhat district, 135 kilometres (85 miles) south-west of the capital, Dhaka.

The men pleaded innocent, the newspaper said.

The shrine has about two dozen crocodiles living in a big pond where pilgrims can feed and watch them.

The men were among a group of people who collect money from visitors by exhibiting the crocodiles.

The group is known to beat the crocodiles if they do not respond to their calls.

Crocodiles are protected under Bangladesh law, and offenders face up to five years in jail for torturing or killing them.