THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Manaveeyam Veedhi, the capital city’s famed cultural corridor, is continuing its search for its beloved dog Rani who has been missing for the past seven days.
For 12 years, Rani has been a part of Manaveeyam and its rich cultural history, says a visitor. The dog’s disappearance has sparked a frantic hunt for clues.
“Though we have filed a complaint to the police, the officers have not even registered an FIR. “They consider this matter as trivial, which is why they have not even filed an FIR. But, for us, it is about the value of life,” said Peeyas Hari, editor of Janakeeya Sandesham Magazine, who is a frequent visitor at Manaveeyam.
Twelve years ago, Rani was brought to the place as a puppy by artist Sreejith P V. The dog used to spend her time happily with all the visitors. Artworks and hoardings of her, welcoming everyone to the street, were always kept at the entrance. However, it has now been replaced by missing posters of the dog. Even seven days after Rani’s disappearance, visitors are still searching for leads. “Rani was Manaveeyam’s guardian dog. It was always friendly and never got aggressive. But there have been instances where people who were averse to street dogs wanted to take her away from the place. Rani usually barks at people who are drunkards and also on drug addicts. We suspect that for the above reasons, somebody might have targeted the dog,” said Hari.
Rani has been suffering from canine distemper. Visitors are not denying the chances of its death considering Rani’s age and disease. However, they demand closure. People at Manaveeyam Veedhi are also organising protests and musical gatherings in Rani’s honour.