Sukkur feudal lord tortures, cripples young camel over alleged trespass for water

SUKKUR: A feudal lord in the Saleh Pat area of Sukkur, Sindh, savagely tortured a young female camel on Thursday after it wandered into his farmland to drink water and damaged his crop. 

The landlord allegedly tied the camel to a tractor and dragged it across the ground, beat it with sticks, broke one of its legs and wounded the animal in the face. 

The owner said he tried to get the injured animal treated at a nearby hospital, but the doctors refused to help.

Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah took notice of the incident on Friday, saying such cruelty to an animal could never be tolerated.

 He directed Sukkur District Council chairman Syed Kamil Shah to ensure the camel received proper medical care. 

Following CM's directives, Kamil Shah contacted the owner and promised that the government would arrange treatment.

Kandhra police have booked three suspects on the owner’s complaint, arresting one while a manhunt continues for the others.

In June 2024, the leg of a camel named Cammie's was allegedly severed by a landlord in June 2024 as punishment for entering his field in search of fodder.

A video of the wounded camel that circulated on social media prompted swift government action.

According to the deputy commissioner of Sanghar, she was transported the very next day to Karachi, over 250 kilometres away, and has been living in a shelter there ever since.

"She was terrified when she first arrived from Sanghar. We witnessed her heart-wrenching cries. She was afraid of men," Khan told AFP.

One of the biggest challenges the caregivers faced was gaining her trust.

"I cannot put her condition into words," Khan added.

To aid her recovery, the caregivers introduced another young camel named Callie. Her presence brought comfort to the injured Cammie, who tried standing on her three legs for the first time after seeing her new companion.

"Cammie had been confined to her enclosure for almost four to five months before Callie arrived," Khan added.

After treating the wound and completing initial rehabilitation, the shelter -- Comprehensive Disaster Response Services (CDRS) Benji Project -- arranged a prosthetic leg from a US-based firm so she could walk on all fours again.

"We don't force her to walk. After attaching the prosthetic leg, we wait about 15 to 20 minutes. Then she stands up on her own and walks slowly," veterinarian Hussain told AFP.

The caregivers said Cammie will remain at the shelter permanently.

— Additional input from AFP