Bhayandar

Jet Airways

Peace for Animal Welfare Association

PAWA

airhostess

IPC

resident, along with locals, verbally abused the woman for over a month after she prevented him from attacking the dogs; police initiate action on complaint.An act of compassion towards stray dogs in her area did not turn out too well for aairhostess who was subjected to a neighbour’s harassment for over a month and a half before the police swung into action.The incident happened on August 12 when the victim, Chandni Kamath, and her mother stepped out of their home in Bhayandar East to feed strays in the area.“We have been feeding them for around a year now, always at night. But on that particular day, Karan Mishra, another society member, tried to hit the dogs with an iron rod,” said Chandni.While Chandni stopped Mishra from hitting the dogs by restraining the rod, her action irked the latter who then started cursing her in front of her mother. According to Chandni, the accused even threatened to kill her with the same rod, and had also thrown a shoe at her car.Rattled by the incident, Chandni rushed to the Navghar police station and even got an animal rights activist, Salim Charania, to accompany her.“The cops did not register an FIR but instead just took down her complaint. The accused was also present there with us,” said Charania, who runs).According to police sources, Mishra, an ayurvedic medicines distributor, was miffed at the risk posed by strays to children playing outside his society building.Even as Chandni considered the matter resolved and returned home, her troubles had just begun as Mishra, along with other youth from the society, started verbally abusing her in the coming days and continued for the next six weeks.With the abuse showing no signs of dying down, theapproached the cops once again seeking intervention on Tuesday.“We met Dr Mahesh Patil, Thane Rural Superintendent, who directed the Navghar police to file an FIR and take action,” said Charania.Meanwhile, Navghar police have filed a case undersection 509 (intention to insult the modesty of a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 354A (1) (sexual harassment) against Mishra, who is now out on bail.