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A 34-year-old Thane man was labelled a pervert, beaten up, detained by the police and slapped with a ‘fine’ of Rs 5,000 — all because his pet dog mated with a stray while being taken for a walk.The incident, which took place on May 29, has left the pet-owner, Shashikant Chavan, traumatised and once again brings to focus authorities’ overzealousness in reacting to even absurd complaints made by the political class.An NCP functionary had reportedly complained about Chavan to the local police, saying that he deliberately left the dog, an adopted stray named Monty, unattended. The man demanded that cases of voyeurism and animal cruelty be registered against Chavan for something that makes for only an awkward sight in public.On Sunday, an upset Chavan wrote a letter alleging police harassment to local police authorities. “I will personally look into the complaint and take stern action (against errant officers). Clearly, a non-issue was blown out of proportion,” said Sunil Patil, the senior inspector of the Mahatma Phule police station.Chavan, who lives in Ambivli and works in a courier company, took Monty out for a walk in the early hours of May 29. “It’s a common routine for pet-owners. While we were out, I received an important phone call and let him wander for a bit,” he said.While Chavan was talking on the phone, Monty came across a stray, and the two animals began to mate. “It was awkward, but what was I supposed to do?” he said. The next day when he again took the dog out for a walk, the NCP man approached him and started beating him with a stick. “He said he was offended by seeing the two dogs have sex. He accused me of leaving the dog unattended on purpose. I tried to reason with him, but in vain,” the 34-year-old said.Chavan left the scene with minor injuries, but an hour later, he found cops from the Mohone police chowky on his doorstep. They took him to the chowky and over the next three hours humiliated him by saying that he enjoyed watching animals mate.“They tried to link my wife’s absence from our home to my apparent voyeurism. The fact is that my wife studies in Mumbai and stays with her parents on weekdays as it is very difficult to travel from Ambivli (60 km from the city) every day,” he said. “Despite my explanations, cops refused to let me go and demanded that I cough up a surety of Rs 5,000 to avoid a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.”Chavan was allowed to go after he paid Rs 400 – all that he was carrying – but was asked to return the next morning withof the sum.“On Saturday, cops again threatened to put me behind bars if I didn’t pay up,” he said. Senior Inspector Patil said that there was no provision for demanding a surety.