Truck driver runs over seven puppies in Mumbai, arrested

He was held on charges of rash driving and killing animals under the violation of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960

Seven puppies were killed by a speeding truck on early Wednesday morning near Cowasjee Patel Tank, Charni Road, Girgaum.

A picture of the puppies taken a day before they were killed. (HT Photo)

The VP Road police station arrested Indrabhan Shivprasad Bind, 22, the truck driver after Chetna Batty, a resident of the area, filed a complaint. “We arrested the accused on charges of rash driving and killing animals under the violation of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. However, since it is a bailable offence, he will be free soon. We have warned him not to repeat such an act,” said Sanjay Kamble, senior police inspector, VP Road police station.

“Around 6.30am, I heard loud wailing noises, and to my horror saw that seven puppies were crushed and a truck driver had stopped a few feet away from the site,” said Batty. “The driver told me he ran over them by mistake, and quickly fled the spot. I informed animal welfare groups, shared the information on social media and rushed to VP Road police station to file a complaint.”

She added that three stray dogs in the area had a litter of 11 puppies. “Of the three stray mothers, one had died of poisoning and I was taking care of the remaining two and their pups. The remaining four pups are with me. One of them has injury in the ear but all of them are being treated by a local veterinarian,” said Batty.

Data from BSPCA, which runs the city’s largest animal hospital and rescue centre for animals at Parel, revealed that 2,406 cases under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, were registered in 2017. Over seven years, Mumbai has recorded 22,498 animal cruelty cases.