Maneka Gandhi Intervenes in Case of Dog Poisoning in Alwal

Hyderabad: A police case was filed over the poisoning of dogs and a post-mortem examination was initiated on the carcass of a stray at the behest of animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi, who said she was informed by an animal lover that residents of Alwal had killed eight stray dogs so far, but the police were refusing to file a case.

The incident took place in Padmawathinagar Colony of Kanajiguda, with a mother dog allegedly poisoned to death on Sunday night, leaving behind five two-week-old puppies to fend for themselves.

Animal activists alleged that over the past few months, stray dogs were dying after exhibiting similar symptoms of seizures, suffering, and blood vomiting in the area.

Maneka Gandhi, former union minister, said, “I received a call from on Monday evening from a woman who identified herself as Sulekha. She said the police were not registering a case, following which I spoke to the inspector and explained to him the intensity of the case. Unless an FIR is registered and a post-mortem examination is conducted, how will such killings be stopped?”

She told Deccan Chronicle that civic bodies and police must be sensitised on issues of animal cruelty. “The animals too have same the right to live in this society. It is a cruel act to kill animals by poisoning them. If some other creatures feed on the poisoned bodies, they too will die.”

Sulekha Neeraj Kumar, who lodged the police complaint initially, said, “The post-mortem examination was completed on Tuesday evening. On Sunday afternoon, a written complaint was given at the police station as eight dogs have been killed in the same manner.”

She said, “I am feeding the dogs on humanitarian grounds, as the puppies were starving. Despite my job schedule, I cook and feed them, which was objected to by the neighbours. These dogs never attacked anyone.”