Telangana Police have registered a case against the Gram Panchayat governing body of Yacharam village in Rangareddy district, alleging the village panchayat authorities' involvement in the alleged killing of about 100 stray dogs.
The case was registered following a complaint filed by members of the Stay Animal Foundation. Based on the complaint, police have booked the village sarpanch, ward members, and the panchayat secretary.
An investigation has been initiated into the matter. Further inquiry is underway to ascertain the facts behind the allegations.
Earlier this month, in a similar case, an FIR was registered by the Shayampet Police Station against nine people, including the Shayampet sarpanch, for allegedly killing 300 stray dogs in Shayampet and Arepally villages.
According to the FIR, the Shayampet sarpanch staff allegedly hired two people to kill the dogs by using a poisonous injection. Police had registered a case under Section 11(1)(a)(l) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1960, as per the law and BNS 325 (Mischief by killing or maiming an animal).
P Ranjith Rao, Circle Inspector (CI), Shayampet Police Station, told ANI, "On January 9, we received a petition from Adulapuram Gautam, Cruelty Prevention Officer at the 'Stray Animal Foundation of India'. In his complaint, he stated that nearly 300 dogs were killed by and with the cooperation of the Sarpanch, Vice-Sarpanch and with the help of Panchayat secretaries and two others. Based on the complaint, we registered a case under 325 BNS and Section 11 of the Cruelty Prevention of Animal Act."
The Circle Inspector during the investigation of both the villages claimed that nearly 1/10th of the dogs were killed. For the post-mortem, the deceased dog's bodies were sent to the RFSL (Regional Forensic Science Laboratory). He also said that during the investigation, many residents reported dog bites and skin infections.
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