PUNE: In a case of horrendous cruelty, four stray dogs in a Baner locality near Pancard road were allegedly tied with a rope, dragged and burned alive recently, while 16 others were poisoned. The incident has sent shock waves among animal lovers in Pune. During their investigations, members of NGO AaCT India (Action for Animals against Cruelty and Trauma) found scattered remains of the charred body parts of the dogs as well as decomposed bodies, pointing at mass poisoning. The investigations revealed that the number of stray dogs that were killed in the area could be much more, after skeletons were found in the bushes nearby.

A panchnama was done by the Chatushrungi police on September 28, when members of AaCT India were told about the incident and visited the spot. A first information report (FIR) will be filed on Wednesday after the postmortem reports come in.

AaCT India representative Neena Rai, who visited the spot with other volunteers, said, “On September 28, we notified the police about the burnt and decomposed dog bodies in the area. While we were talking to people about the decomposed and charred dog bodies, some workers in the area pointed to an office nearby, saying that people from there had tied the limbs of four dogs, dragged them for 50 metres, poured petrol and set them on fire.“

Rai said the bodies of the dogs were charred and only remnants like blackened bones and skulls could be found, which were sent for a postmortem. The workers were not sure if the dogs were dead or unconscious while being burnt. “But they felt they could see the limbs of a dog move while it was on fire,“ she further said.

When Rai first visited the spot on September 28, she saw two stray dogs and another puppy lying dead at different places in a radius of 100 sq m.“On investigating further, we found 11 more dog bodies, which had decomposed 50% to 70%. One dog's head was severed from the torso, its legs tied and broken,“ she said.

So far, rough estimates from the NGO reveal that close to 21 dog bodies have been found in the area.

An official from the Chatushrungi police station, who had visited the spot during the panchnama, said, “The charred remains of the dogs and the decomposed bodies were collected and sent for a postmortem. We found burnt dog bones from two or three spots and decomposed bodies at another spot.“

President AaCT-India and animal welfare officer (honorary) Meher Mathrani said, “On an average, we receive over 1015 cases of extreme brutality towards animals every month. These include heinous acts like setting dogs on fire, poisoning them and dragging them live behind vehicles.“

Mathrani said high-ranking officers from the Union government have told city police commissioners to lend support to animal welfare officers and to take animal crimes seriously. “CCTV cameras must be installed and the animal birth control programme should be ramped up,“ she added.

TIMES VIEW:

The act of burning and killing dogs cannot be condoned. The perpetrators of this crime should be brought to book. But such incidents also highlight the failure of the municipal corporation in controlling the population of stray dogs through an effective animal birth control regime. There are also complaints about dogs caught from one area being relocated in other areas, especially in the outskirts, causing problems to residents. Pune has many animal welfare organisations and volunteers who can be tapped by the civic body to work out a plan to control the dog population and prevent such heinous crimes. Only a methodical and scientific approach will help address the issue.

