Animal cruelty: Patiala man shoots two stray dogs

Adding to the spate of incidents of cruelty to animals in the country, an Urban Estate, Phase 3, resident shot dead two stray dogs on Saturday afternoon

Adding to the spate of incidents of cruelty to animals in the country, an Urban Estate, Phase 3, resident shot dead two stray dogs on Saturday afternoon.

The accused, identified as Inderjit Singh, allegedly shot at five stray dogs with his .12-bore rifle in the residential area, but three of them managed to run away.

Police have booked the accused under Sections 336 (act endangering life or personal safety of others, 429 (mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides relevant sections of the Arms Act.

Urban Estate police station house officer (SHO) Puneet Singh said the accused had recently shifted to a rented accommodation in the area. He said the incident took place around 12.30pm, when the accused was leaving his house. When he saw the stray dogs, he started shouting at them, complainant Narinder Kaur, owner of the house outside which the dogs were sitting, told the police.

Suddenly, the accused took out his rifle from his car and opened fire on the dogs, she said. While three dogs ran away, the other two received bullet injuries, she said.

On hearing the gunshots, other neighbours came out as well. Police rushed to the spot and took the two dogs to a veterinary hospital, where they were declared dead.

The SHO said the accused fled soon after the incident. Raids are on to nab the accused, he said.