In a bizarre incident in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur district, 140 chickens died allegedly due to high-decibel DJ music played during a wedding procession that passed by a poultry farm on April 25. The unusual event has raised concerns about rising noise pollution levels and its impact on livestock, but in a politically charged state like Uttar Pradesh, the incident has taken on political overtones.
Police Action Under Scrutiny
The police response has come under scrutiny, with both the complainant and the accused alleging foul play, though cops deny the charges. According to reports, the death of the chickens was only part of what transpired that day. Before the chickens died, DJ operator Kavi Yadav was allegedly thrashed by some locals who wanted him to play a particular 'bulldozer' song and one about Pakistan after the wedding procession reached a minority-dominated pocket of the village.
Kavi's brother Ravi told Times of India, "When some people climbed up the DJ vehicle and thrashed Kavi Yadav, police were informed. Cops arrived and the two sides were first taken to the police outpost and thereafter to the police station where they spent the night." He added that the next morning (April 26), both sides were released after signing a compromise.
Meanwhile, the death of 140 chickens due to loud music came to light. Poultry farm owner Sabir Ali then entered into a compromise after Kavi Yadav agreed to compensate the losses. Sabir confirmed to TOI, "A total of Rs 10,000 was transferred to us online. Another Rs 5,000 was paid in the presence of police, and a compromise was reached in writing." Both sides then returned home.
However, hours later at 2:32 pm on April 26, an FIR was lodged at Baldirai police station under Sections 270, 325, and 15 of the BNS, with Sabir Ali as the complainant and Kavi Yadav as the accused. Both sides claimed the FIR was lodged after the compromise had been reached in the presence of police. On April 30, a police team seized Kavi's DJ vehicle for playing music beyond permitted decibel limits.
ASP Sultanpur BN Singh dismissed the compromise claims. "Had that been the case, why would the police register an FIR? We have lodged a case after the postmortem concluded the chickens died of heart attack due to acute stress from high density noise," Singh told TOI. He said police will file a chargesheet in the case.
The Political Link
Once SP chief Akhilesh Yadav learned that despite the chicken deaths, Sabir Ali and Kavi Yadav had reached a compromise, he called them to Lucknow to offer financial help. A photograph of the meeting went viral on social media. Praveen Nishad, the second-in-command in the Nishad Party—a key ally of the BJP—accused Akhilesh of helping a Muslim (poultry farm owner) at the expense of a Yadav. There are allegations that SP rivals wanted to drive a wedge between Yadavs and Muslims in the region.
