Protests continue against dog relocation order in Delhi, FIR filed in India Gate gathering

Protests started around 4pm near the Hanuman temple and continued for an hour, before police dispersed them and detained several protesters in buses

New Delhi

A protester at Connaught Place remonstrates with a police constable. (Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

Protests continued for a second consecutive day against the Supreme Court order to move stray dogs across Delhi-NCR to shelters within eight weeks, with hundreds gathering at Connaught Place on Tuesday evening, raising slogans against the Supreme Court directive and calling for its reversal.

Protests started around 4pm near the Hanuman temple and continued for an hour, before police dispersed them and detained several protesters in buses.

Protesters, meanwhile, alleged police brutality and said that a police officer could be seen slapping a protester in a video. HT could not independently verify the authenticity of the video.

Deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla did not respond to calls and messages seeking comment.

A senior police officer said protesters did not have permission to congregate. “We gave them repeated warnings and even asked them to shift to Jantar Mantar, but they did not listen to us. They did not even seek permission for the protest. Since it was an illegal gathering, police had to remove them. While we were trying to put them in buses, men and women started fighting with our staff. Police staff had to use minimal force to control the protesters.”

When asked about the video, the officer said, “We have not come across any complaint in this regard. We are verifying this video and trying to ascertain the sequence of events. If what is alleged is true, action will be taken against the staff. However, as per officers there, protesters became aggressive and had to be dragged and pushed. They also attacked our staff...”

Holding placards and waving banners, protesters said the top court’s directive was in contravention of the Indian Constitution, alleging it would result in the loss of life. “When the court talks about the Right to Life, does it only mean that it’s exclusively for humans? Are these voiceless creatures not covered under it?” Avni Singh, a protester, said.

Another protester, Ishita, said: “The authorities have no shelters, they have no infrastructure to feed them or sterilise them. This is such an inhumane order which will disrupt the city’s ecosystem.”

Protesters said that authorities should pause before implementing this order and outline a detailed plan. “The state doesn’t have a policy in the first place, infrastructure is not there and now the police are not letting us protest peacefully. We are not doing anything illegal here, we are here to raise our concern,” a protester said before being dragged onto a bus.

Online campaigns gather pace

Activists called on fellow protesters to document the stray dogs, especially while being captured.

Gauri Maulekhi, an activist and trustee with the People for Animals (PFA), said it was important to document their movement. In a social media post, she said: “If dogs are being rounded up in your area, document everything safely - how they are caught, kept and moved.”

She asked people to use geotagging apps to mark the location of capture or their final destinations. “This evidence and photographs will become vital evidence for policy and legal action,” she said, asking for it to be shared on reportdogcruelty@gmail.com.

An online petition on change.com, seeking reversal of the SC order, garnered over 170,000 signatures on the day, as actor Simi Garewal also promoted it.

Sanna Singh, an activist director at Varaha Impact Foundation, appealed to the public to send emails to the Chief Justice of India, expressing concerns over the verdict. “Make sure the subject line is unique. Within the body of the email, write a few personal emails as to why the subject is important to you, why we are opposing the relocation...” she said.

Alokparna Sengupta, managing director, Humane World for Animals India, said animal protection organisations across India were working on legal action, media outreach, research and public awareness campaigns. “People across the country are speaking up against this order and raising awareness of its dangerous implications. Several of us are in the process of exploring legal options to ensure that welfare of these animals is upheld,” she said.

FIR filed in India Gate protests

A day after hundreds of people gathered at the India Gate to protest against the Supreme Court order on stray dogs, the Delhi Police lodged an FIR against the protesters under Section 223 of the BNS (disobedience to order duly promulgated by the public servant).

A senior police officer said: “We have lodged an FIR based on the violation of law and order arrangements. We had repeatedly asked the protesters to not gather at India Gate. They did not listen to us and staged a protest. We tried to remove them but they manhandled staff and also resisted being removed. Despite repeated instructions, they didn’t leave. Some of them pushed our female constables.”

Police said they detained a few people in connection with the protest.