Two nursing students arrested for killing puppies get bail

Two nursing students, arrested after being allegedly seen in a video mercilessly beating puppies to death in a state-run medical college and hospital, were granted bail on Wednesday by a local court.

Moutushi Mondal, a first-year nursing student of Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital, and Shoma Burman of second year, were produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court at Sealdah in a surcharged atmosphere with slogan-shouting animal rights activists demanding stringent punitive action against the two.

The police said the two were taken into custody on Tuesday after they broke down during a marathon interrogation and confessed their involvement in the brutal killing of 16 puppies at NRSMCH on Sunday.

After hearing the prosecution and the defence, the magistrate granted bail to Mondal and Burman.

The two students have been charged under Indian Penal Code sections 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc., of any value or any animal of the value of fifty rupee) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender) and section 11L of the Prevention of Cruelty towards Animals Act (mutilate any animal or kill any animal by using the method of strychnine injections, in the heart or in any other unnecessarily cruel manner).

NRSMCH Deputy Superintendent Dwaipayan Biswas said the two wouldn't be allowed to come inside the hospital till the submission of report by a three-member inquiry committee formed for the purpose.

According to the police, the accused have claimed they were fed up with the puppies which did not allow them to go out of the hostel and moved too close to their feet for comfort.

Hospital garbage bags containing 16 dead puppies and a dog with signs of severe torture were recovered near the NRS medical college on Sunday.

A video later surfaced in social media where two women were seen beating the puppies near the hostel building of Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College & Hospital.

The video has been captured by the students of Dr. R. Ahmed Dental College and Hospital housed in the opposite building.

Meanwhile, nursing students raised slogans and held a sit-in at the NRSMCH, saying "we want justice".

"The nursing students are protesting against the authorities as despite repeated requests the puppies were not shifted elsewhere.

"Has the video footage shown that all 16 puppies were beaten to death by the two of them?" said a spokesperson of the nurses' union.

--IANS

ssp/nir