New Delhi: In a recent wake of mass killings, more than 100 dogs were poisoned in the Siddipet district of Telangana. According to a local activist working for stray animals, the village sarpanch and the secretary of Thigul village in the Jagdevpur Mandal area of Siddipet district allegedly hired professional dog catchers and got them killed.
Activist Goutham Kumar complained to the Siddipet Collector and Siddipet Commissioner of Police, seeking a probe and booking cases against those responsible. He said that the dogs were administered lethal injections that led to their demise.
The mass killings came to light when Kumar received information regarding the untimely death of a six-year-old pet dog. He found that the pet was poisoned with several strays when he visited the village. He even confirmed the news with locals.
The locals revealed how they dumped carcasses in an old village well. Over 200 dogs were killed in the past three months. The Municipal staff of Siddipet had killed 100 dogs in 2019 and triggered outrage from activists and animal lovers.
The Municipal officers resort to killing the strays following an increase in dog-bite cases.
According to Section 11(1) C of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, killing any animal (including stray dogs) by using the method of strychnine injections (poisoning) in the heart or any other unnecessarily cruel manner is a cognizable offense and can attract simple or rigorous imprisonment for a term that may extend to two years, or with a fine or both.
(Avya Mathur)