Activists detained in Mumbai while protesting pigeon feeding ban
Mumbai police detained several activists, including Marathi Ekikaran Samiti president Govardhan Deshmukh, on Wednesday, August 13, 2025, at Dadar's kabutarkhana.
The group was protesting in support of the city's ban on feeding pigeons—a rule that's stirred up strong feelings after clashes earlier this month when BMC tarpaulins were removed.
Even with heavy police presence, things got tense and several people were taken into custody.
Controversy surrounding the ban
The pigeon feeding ban has sparked a heated debate about health and tradition.
Some protests have involved accusations against members of the Jain community, which Maharashtra minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha has denied.
The Bombay High Court previously said BMC could review traditional feeding spots because public health matters most.
Meanwhile, Jain monk Muni Nileshchandra Vijay started a hunger strike on August 13 to oppose actions affecting religious practices—even as the Supreme Court backed the city's right to act against pigeon feeding, showing just how tricky it is to balance culture and health concerns.