HYDERABAD: With inflated numbers of stray dog deaths being reported by a section of the media and resistance from irate locals to investigations into complaints of animal cruelty, the police find themselves caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.
The problem came into sharp focus recently in Yacharam village of Rangareddy district. Acting on reports of nearly 100 canine deaths, the police exhumed two burial sites and found the remains of 37 dogs. A case was registered on January 20, and post-mortem examinations were conducted thereafter.
However, when officers arrived to carry out the investigation, they faced the wrath of locals. Residents confronted the police, asking pointedly where they had been when the same stray dogs were attacking cattle and chickens, resulting in the deaths of livestock.
Villagers resist police investigation
“But when dogs die,” villagers asked, “why are you coming and questioning who killed them?”
The investigation, aimed at identifying who killed the dogs and how, has stalled due to a lack of local cooperation. Villagers, reportedly furious over repeated dog attacks, have refused to assist law enforcement officials.
The case was registered following a complaint filed by Mudavath Preethi, an animal cruelty prevention assistant with the Stray Animal Foundation of India. She alleged that around 100 stray dogs were killed using poisonous injections by the Yacharam village sarpanch and the panchayat secretary.
Following the complaint, the police excavated the burial sites and recovered 37 canine carcasses. Samples were sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) after on-site post-mortem examinations. The exact cause of death will be known once the FSL submits its report.
A police official pointed out the discrepancy between the complaint and the findings. “The complainant mentioned ‘approximately 100’ dogs, but after excavation, only 37 carcasses were found. Though the number was close to 40, it was assumed to be much higher,” the official said.
The incident is not an isolated one. In a similar case on January 25, Dundigal police filed a case against the president of KVR Valley Colony and others for burning a dog alive. Notably, in both instances, the accused are elected representatives.