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Sarpanch, two others arrested for poisoning stray dogs in AP: Police
Chebrole village sub-inspector of police K Swamy said the dogs were being poisoned on Saturday on the grounds that they were causing trouble for local residents. Animal rights activist Srilatha Challapalli, who is based in Eluru, located about 40 km from the village, filed a complaint against the trio, based on which the FIR was registered.
The sarpanch of a village in Andhra Pradesh’s Eluru district was arrested with two others for allegedly fatally poisoning at least 18 stray dogs, police said on Monday, adding that all three were granted bail later.
Chebrole village sub-inspector of police K Swamy said the dogs were being poisoned on Saturday on the grounds that they were causing trouble for local residents. Animal rights activist Srilatha Challapalli, who is based in Eluru, located about 40 km from the village, filed a complaint against the trio, based on which the FIR was registered.
“We formally arrested village sarpanch S Raju and gram panchayat secretary Satish Babu, besides a local youth K Veerababu, who was engaged by the sarpanch to kill the stray dogs,” Swamy told HT.
“Since the accused are liable for imprisonment for less than seven years, they were given bail immediately and let off, after being given the notices as per the law,” Swamy added.
The case was registered under Section 428 (mischief by killing or maiming animal) and 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 11 (L) (treating animal cruelty) of the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals (PCA) Act-1960.
He further said an autopsy on the carcasses was conducted and the viscera was sent for forensic examination to ascertain the cause of their death.
Challapalli told reporters that she had received information on Saturday about Veerababu poisoning the dogs by administering poisonous injections at the behest of Raju and Babu.
She sent two of her colleagues to the village to verify the information. “By the time they reached there, Veerababu had already poisoned 18 dogs. We immediately alerted the police, who rushed there and stopped the killings,” she said.
According to Challapalli, Raju had offered Veerababu ₹300 for killing each dog.
“As per the norms, local civic authorities have to conduct animal birth control operations to check proliferation of stray dogs, but they cannot kill them,” she said, adding that they were lodging a complaint with the chairman of society for prevention of cruelty to animals to take departmental action against Raju and Babu.
