Three stray dogs shot dead, Hyderabad cops hunting accused

In a heartless act that has put humanity to the shame, a city resident shot dead three stray dogs in Tappachabutra locality on Tuesday morning. Police have registered a case in this connection under Section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc., of any value or any animal of the value of fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against unidentified people.

Reacting to the incident, Director of Human Society International N.G. Jayasimha said legal as well as social strengthening is important to check such acts.

"The responsibility of this incident heads on two things. Firstly, the social ignorance of cruelty on animals, while the other being, the administration that has been incapable of bringing in Animal Welfare Act. Repeated incidents of brutality on animals are happening, and the police are completely disappointed, because the penalty is so little. People are throwing acid on animals, burning them alive to death and shooting them. People are spread from such matters by giving a small fine of Rs.50. Such offences are bailable and non-cognisable and people committing such crimes are not even arrested sometimes," Jayasimha told ANI.

"Last time when the shooting took place, there was a video. Police identified the accused, but no action was taken as the law is so weak. We are shocked. The Indian Government should categorize such offences into cognizable crimes and bring in the Bill suggested by the Animal Welfare Board. The conditions of animals will be the same until the Bill is brought in," he added.

He said legalization of things not only brings fear among people, but also sends a message about what the government accepts and what it rejects.

"We got to know that an FIR has already been lodged and a case has been registered against unidentified people. We are in continuous touch with police. Usually, we announce reward if police are not able to identify the accused, but in this case we have received a call from a farm house and police are investigating. But, if we don't get a lead in this case, we will, conjointly with the police, put in effort to get the accused arrested," he said.

Earlier in July, five minors had allegedly burnt alive three puppies in Hyderabad. The boys played with the pups for sometime in the afternoon, and then they dragged the three pups by their tails and hurled them into the fire. The blood-curling cries of the puppies could be heard in the video, which someone had uploaded on social media.

In a similar incident in Chennai, two MBBS students allegedly threw a dog from the terrace of a three-storey building.