HYDERABAD: As many as 20 dogs were killed and five others were severely injured after a group of unidentified men opened fire at them at Mahbubnagar’s Ponnekal village. While the injured dogs are currently being treated at the Gram Panchayat premises, the police have registered a case against the accused under several charges.
According to the villagers, the unidentified men were reportedly wearing masks when they got down from a car and used guns to shoot the stray dogs in the early hours of Friday.
The incident came to light when a driver of a tractor informed the panchayat secretary that several dogs were found dead in different places across the village. After inspection, the panchayat secretary lodged a police complaint.
Speaking to TNIE, Mahbubnagar SP Harshvardhan said, “We have registered a case and have started interrogating a suspect. We are also recording the statements of the villagers.” Further, the police suspect the shooters used country-made weapons to shoot the strays. “Investigation is underway and we have registered a case under the Arms Act too,” the Addakal police said.
Commenting on the incident, Stray Animal Foundation of India’s PCA officer Adulapuram Goutham said, “It’s shocking that they have used guns to attack the dogs. This is such a grave attack on stray animals.”
Goutham, who has also filed a police complaint, revealed that the bodies of the deceased dogs have been sent for postmortem examination and their organs have been sent to forensic labs for further investigation.
“Besides the Arms Act, we have registered a case under Section 429 of the IPC and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” said the Addakal police.
With regards to the intent of the attack, the police told TNIE that they suspect that the stray dogs have been causing problems to the people. However, they asserted that the intent will be ascertained only during the course of the investigation. Animal rights activist Lubna Sarwath said, “I wouldn’t deny that stray dogs have become a menace. We cannot ignore the reality where street dogs are giving chase to babies and elderly people and biting them. However, shooting them is not a solution,” she shared.
Sarwath also pointed out that the problem of stray dogs should be a priority civic issue for the government and an immediate action should be taken.
Sarwath also said, “Collect the database for stray dogs. Call animal welfare organisations, NGOs, activists and animal lovers. Ask them if they are up for adoption, else give government shelter to the dogs. This man-animal conflict should be solved,” she said.
Volunteer with Street Dogs Hyderabad, Dheeraj Muramshetti, said: “Cruelty cases have been happening previously also. In fact, last year, the Bihar government issued an order to shoot 30 dogs to stop the menace of ‘man-eating’ dogs. I’d say it is because the laws are not stringent.”