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Stray dogs: Police book unknown persons over fake circular targeting school teachers

The specific charges and legal sections under which the FIR has been filed were not immediately disclosed.

Updated on: Jan 2, 2026, 19:19:50 IST
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Delhi Police have registered a case against unidentified persons for allegedly spreading misinformation on social media claiming that government school teachers were instructed to count stray dogs, following a complaint filed by the Directorate of Education (DoE), officials said on Friday.

Delhi education minister Ashish Sood addresses the media on Friday. (PTI)
Delhi education minister Ashish Sood addresses the media on Friday. (PTI)

A senior police officer said the FIR was registered on Thursday by the Intelligence Fusion and Strategic Operations (IFSO) unit of the Delhi Police after the DoE approached law enforcement over what it described as a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and discredit the education system. “The case has been registered against unknown persons and further probe is underway,” the officer said.

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The specific charges and legal sections under which the FIR has been filed were not immediately disclosed.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, director of education Veditha Reddy denied reports circulating online that teachers had been directed to count stray dogs. “Misinformation is being spread that the directorate has issued directions for teachers to count stray dogs. This is completely false and fabricated. There was no such directive issued. The teachers are only involved in academic activities. The false narrative is mischievous,” she said.

According to officials, the DoE filed a formal complaint seeking legal action over alleged misinformation being circulated on social media regarding a departmental circular related to the appointment of nodal officers for matters concerning stray dogs.

In its complaint, the DoE said, “It has been seen that deliberate attempts have been made for spreading false and fabricated news with malafide intent, causing confusion and panic among teachers and school staff, damage to the reputation of the Education Department and disruption of public order and trust in government institutions.”

The department further said, “Impersonation of some individuals as a teacher counting stray dogs has also been seen on social media, which needs to be immediately investigated and appropriate legal and criminal action should be taken.”

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Hemani Bhandari

Hemani Bhandari is a Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in New Delhi, where she reports on crime, policing, governance and social issues. With over a decade of experience in journalism, she specialises in combining on-ground reporting with evidence-based storytelling to examine the human impact of public policy, law enforcement and urban governance. Over the years, she has reported extensively on major developments in the capital, including crime investigations, civic challenges, protests, and issues affecting vulnerable communities. As a Special Correspondent, she focuses on producing exclusive investigations, enterprise stories and long-form features that go beyond daily news cycles. She has a keen interest in using public records, official data and field reporting to uncover systemic issues and present complex subjects in an accessible manner. A graduate of the Asian College of Journalism, Hemani believes in rigorous, ethical and evidence-based reporting. She is passionate about investigative journalism and continuously seeks to expand her skills in data journalism, open-source investigations and digital reporting techniques.

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Stay updated with all top Cities including, Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and more across India. Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News along with Delhi Election 2025 and Delhi Election Result 2025 Live, New Delhi Election Result Live, Kalkaji Election Result Live at Hindustan Times.
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