Hyderabad: In a horrific case of mass animal cruelty, nearly 300 stray dogs were reportedly poisoned and killed in Telangana recently.
The incident occurred between January 6 and 8 in the villages of Shayampet and Arepalli, which are located in Hanamkonda district.
How it came to light
The inquiry by Farzana Begum and Adulapuram Goutham, who represent the Stray Animal Foundation of India, brought the cruelty to light.
They visited the area to investigate reports of numerous dog deaths. Their inquiry led to the discovery that the stray animals had allegedly been killed using poisonous injections administered by two hired individuals.
Following this, they reported the incident to the Shayampet police. Based on the complaint, the police registered a serious criminal case. A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against nine individuals.
Those named include the sarpanches of both villages, their husbands, the deputy sarpanch of Shayampet, the local panchayat secretaries, and the two hired men accused of carrying out the acts.
Investigation into killing of stray dogs in Telangana
Police officials stated that preliminary evidence suggests the mass killing was conducted with the awareness and involvement of local village authorities.
The case has been registered under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 11 (1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The incident gained national momentum after former Union minister Maneka Gandhi intervened. She communicated with senior police officials and urged them to ensure proper case registration and to conduct post-mortem examinations on the animal remains to gather forensic evidence.
The investigation is ongoing.
