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SC Dismisses Plea on Suicide Prevention in Zoos, Cites Existing Safeguards
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News18•21-09-2026, 17:45
SC Dismisses Plea on Suicide Prevention in Zoos, Cites Existing Safeguards
- •The Supreme Court dismissed a plea seeking directions to prevent suicides in zoo animal enclosures.
- •A bench of Justices Vikram Nath, Augustine George Masih, and Sandeep Mehta upheld a July 2020 Delhi High Court order.
- •The High Court had allowed the petitioner to make a representation to authorities regarding repeated incidents of people jumping into enclosures.
- •The apex court previously questioned the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017's impact on IPC Section 309, which criminalizes attempted suicide.
- •Section 115 of the 2017 Act presumes severe stress in suicide attempts, preventing punishment under IPC and mandating care and rehabilitation.
Key Questions Answered
The Supreme Court dismissed the plea because it observed that requisite safeguards and laws are already in place, noting that everyone is expected to act according to the law.
Section 309 of the IPC makes an attempt to commit suicide a punishable offence, whereas Section 115 of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, presumes severe stress as the origin of the act and requires the government to provide care and rehabilitation instead of punishment.
The plea challenged a July 2020 order of the Delhi High Court, which had declined to entertain a PIL regarding inaction over people jumping into animal enclosures but permitted the petitioner to make a representation to the authorities.
