ROURKELA: A hunger strike for three days is what it took Rourkela police to treat a case of cruelty against animals seriously. Animal rights activist Subhashree Nayak, who sat on hunger strike at Uditnagar since Friday seeking action against an elderly man for beating a stray puppy to death, called off her protest on Sunday evening after police assured her of taking firm steps to prevent crime against animals.
Sources said the 66-year-old man of A Block in Koel Nagar within Jhirpani police limits was peeved at a three-month-old puppy for emptying its bowel outside his house. At around 8.30 pm on Thursday, Das allegedly dragged the puppy out of its sleeping place in an abandoned auto-rickshaw and beat it to death with a stick before throwing the carcass in a gutter.
Hours later, Subhashree, who is the founding member of NGO ‘Spark-Voice For The Voiceless’ lodged a complaint with Jhirpani police against the man. On Friday, a case was registered and an autopsy was conducted on the puppy’s carcass.
However, the animal rights activist was unhappy with the response of police in the case. Accusing the cops of not taking the incident seriously, Subhashree launched a hunger strike at Uditnagar but was jeered and mocked at for her action.
Subhashree said it was an inhuman act and her fight was to ensure justice to the innocent animal whose life was cut short brutally. “Animals are irrational, but we as a human being should show our rationality and refrain from hurting the innocent souls,” she said.
Sources said after the intervention of the police, the accused man gave in writing that he would not indulge in cruelty to animals nor threat any of the NGO members in future. Subhashree said she is determined to pursue the case to its conclusion in court.
DSP PK Mishra said all police stations would be sensitised to take animal cruelty cases seriously. Jhirpani IIC Manas Barik said a notice under Section 41 of CrPC has been issued to the elderly man and after investigation, charge-sheet would be filed. Other animal rights activists and lovers also came out in support of Subhashree with campaigns on various social media platforms.