Construction workers in India have sparked anger after building a road over a sleeping dog.

The animal died in agony after burning tar was poured over it during work on a road surface near the Taj Mahal in Agra.

Activists say the dog was asleep and, rather than being chased off, was buried alive before being flattened by a roller.

Construction workers in India have sparked anger after building a road over a sleeping dog

The animal died in agony after burning tar was poured over it during work on a road surface near the Taj Mahal in Agra

Let sleeping dogs die: Activists say the animal was asleep and, rather than being chased off, was buried alive before being flattened by a roller. A digger was eventually used to free the carcass

The crew then left the half-buried animal on the road before it was spotted by shocked commuters on the morning of June 13 - still clinging to life with its hind legs trapped in the freshly-laid tar.

Local resident Virendra Singh said: 'The dog's legs were buried under the tar and it was writhing in agony. The workers refused to break the road to remove it. The dog died after.'

A group of local residents and animal rights activists gathered at the site of the incident and staged a demonstration against the Public Works Department (PWD), which is responsible for the road work.

The crew left the half-buried animal on the road before it was spotted by shocked commuters on the morning of June 13 - still clinging to life with its hind legs trapped in the freshly-laid tar

Angry protesters seized the construction vehicles and halted work forcing a senior representative of the firm to come to the spot. He expressed regret over the inhumane act and brought in a digger to remove the dog's carcass

Station house officer of Sadar police station, Narendra Kumar, said a case has been registered against the firm which was carrying out the repair work

But PWD officials put the blame on a private firm to whom the work had been outsourced.

Angry protesters seized the construction vehicles and halted work forcing a senior representative of the firm to come to the spot.

He expressed regret over the inhumane act and brought in a digger to remove the dog's carcass.

Station house officer of Sadar police station, Narendra Kumar, said a case has been registered against the firm which was carrying out the repair work.