New Delhi: The Tripura government has suspended Prabin Lal Agrawal, the state's principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife and ecotourism), following a row over the naming of a zoo lion and lioness as Akbar and Sita, respectively. Agarwal, a 1994 batch IFS officer, served as the Tripura Chief Wildlife Warden. 

For the unversed, a lion named ‘Akbar’ and a lioness ‘Sita’ were brought from Tripura’s Sepahijala Zoological Park on February 12 to the Bengal Safari Park in Siliguri.

The north Bengal unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad(VHP) had filed a petition before the circuit bench praying that the names be changed as it has hurt the religious sentiments of a section of citizens.

Hearing petitions by the VHP and two other individuals, the high court’s Jalpaiguri Circuit Bench asked whether an animal can be named after gods, mythological heroes, freedom fighters or Nobel laureates. It then went on to ask whether a lion could be named after Swami Vivekananda or Ramakrishna Paramahansa.

Observing that West Bengal is already burdened with several controversies starting from school jobs appointments to several other issues, Justice Saugata Bhattacharyya said, “Therefore, take a prudent decision, avoid this controversy.” Maintaining that this would not be reflected in his order, the judge suggested to the state’s lawyer that he use his good offices and ask the zoo authorities to give different names to the lion and the lioness.