Rajkot: The forest department arrested two men for allegedly harassing tigers at Sakkarbaug Zoo in Junagadh after a video of the incident went viral on social media.The incident occurred on July 12, prompting forest officials to initiate action after the footage surfaced online on Monday.The accused, Deva Shirodiya (43) and Babu Shirodiya (35), are residents of Bodighodi village in Padadhari taluka of Rajkot district.Rajdeepsinh Jhala, deputy conservator of forest, Sakkarbaug Zoo, said the two men were booked under various provisions of the Wildlife (Protection) Act.The department also released a video showing both accused standing with folded hands, admitting to their actions and expressing regret.The viral video shows one of the visitors throwing a piece of cloth into the tiger enclosure, apparently to provoke the animal. The tiger appears to react to the object. This prompted widespread criticism from wildlife activists, who condemned the incident as an act of harassment of a captive wild animal despite the presence of zoo authorities.
