Case registered after Lab dies in locked car in Taj parking

The inhuman aspect was that the dog was chained inside the car and locals said that the owner was asked not to do so by those around

A Labrador Retriever suffocated to death while being chained in a locked car, in the parking lot of the Taj Mahal, on Sunday.

For representation only (HT File Photo)

A case was registered on Monday under section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act at the Tajganj police station in Agra against the car owner, on the basis of car’s Haryana number, on a complaint made by the parking contractor.

The inhuman aspect was that the dog was chained inside the car and locals said that the owner was asked not to do so by those around.

“The incident took place on Sunday when tourists in a car bearing a Haryana registration number, visited the Taj Mahal. The owner of the car parked the car in the parking lot and went to view the Taj on a hot and humid day,” said Devendra Singh, senior sub inspector, Tajganj police station.

“The dead dog, recovered from owner, has been sent for a post-mortem examination to find the exact cause of death and a complaint has been lodged by the contractor of the parking lot at Taj Mahal and a case has been registered against the unidentified car owner on the basis of the car number,” said Singh.

“It is a cold-blooded murder, and a case needs to be registered under section 429 of the Indian Penal Code, at the least. The chaining of pets is cruelty in itself and considered abuse in the latest norms prescribed. Here the dog was chained inside a locked car in the most adverse hot and humid weather conditions,” said Vineeta Arora, running an NGO in Agra for animals which is recognised by Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).

“Even those owning or running parking lots should not allow parking of such vehicles with pets locked inside. The shameless part is that the culprit was asked by those around not to do so but he never cared,” added Arora.