Goat arrested in Chhattisgarh for eating judge's lawn

Female goat Babli is a 'repeat offender', say police in India

Babli the goat, who has been arrested in India for trespassing on a judge's lawn (Sky News)

A goat has been arrested in India for eating up a judge’s lawn.

The animal’s owner, Abdul Hassan, faces charges of trespass and causing damage to property for letting his goat Babli graze on the lawn of his neighbour, who is a local magistrate.

"The goat and the owner were under police custody and are out” on bail, police officer Ram Sewak Paikra in Janakpur, Chhattisgarh told AFP.

Babli is apparently a “repeat offender”, according to Mr Paikra.

Mr Hassan, 40, has admitted his goat’s misdemeanours. "My goat scaled the boundary wall again and ate flowers and vegetables from the garden”, he said.

The goat's owner Abdul Hassan (Sky News)

"It was taken to the police station and then the police also brought me in."

"The goat would eat up all the plants”, police assistant sub-inspector R Srivastav said, according to Sky News. "The goat’s owner has been told several times…not to let the animal graze on other people's lawns."

"We received a written complaint from the judge's office, on the basis of which we have registered a case. An investigation is on."

If convicted, Mr Hassan faces a prison sentence of between two and seven years.

But the incident is a "farce", a Congress party spokesman told The Indian Express.

“The arrest of a goat is ridiculous. Chhattisgarh police have made fun of themselves. Those accused of serious crimes are roaming free,” said Shailesh Nitin Trivedi.