- Telangana Police probe mass killing of stray dogs, file cases against 15 suspects including village heads
- Over 500 dogs poisoned in Hanamkonda and Kamareddy districts to fulfil local election promises
- A video captured one such instance where a dog collapsed within a minute after being injected
Telangana Police have intensified their investigation into the mass killing of stray dogs, initiating legal action against 15 individuals, including seven village heads across the Hanamkonda and Kamareddy districts. This marks one of the largest crackdowns on animal cruelty in the state's history following reports that at least 500 dogs have been poisoned to death in the first two weeks of the new year.
The suspects are accused of orchestrating a coordinated culling operation to fulfill a controversial local election promise to rid the villages of the stray dog menace.
Local reports suggest that during recent Gram Panchayat elections, several candidates promised a "dog-free village" to residents, frustrated by a spike in stray dog attacks.
This massacre is now being viewed as a misguided attempt to deliver on such promises.
A Horrific Video
The dogs were injected with a lethal substance that killed them instantly. In a video of one such horrific instance from the Dharmapuri municipality in the Jagtiyal district, a man was seen injecting a dog with the poison. Within a minute, it collapsed. Two other dog carcasses were also seen on the street.
At least 50 dogs were reportedly killed in this municipality two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, in Hanmakonda, a senior police official in Shayampeta has confirmed that 110 dog carcasses have been dug out. Post-mortem has been conducted on some of them to determine the exact cause of their death.
15 Suspects Being Probed
The police investigation has pinpointed 15 key figures allegedly responsible for the animal massacre. Seven sarpanches, recently elected from their villages, including in Shayampet, Arepally, and Palwancha area, are accused of authorising the culls.
Gram Panchayat secretaries and staff members reportedly facilitated the logistics and hired professional dog catchers for the mass culling. Three private contractors were reportedly employed to carry out the killings via lethal injections and poisoned bait.
According to Hanamkonda police, the investigation was triggered by horrific scenes of dogs being injected with "unidentified toxins" and dumped in desolate areas.
All 15 individuals have been booked under Section 325 (killing or poisoning of animals) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
While some junior staff have been detained for questioning, the police have served notices to the seven sarpanches. Officials said that "ignorance of the law is no excuse", emphasising that local bodies cannot override the Central Government's Animal Birth Control (ABC) rules.
Investigators are awaiting forensic reports to confirm the exact nature of the poison, which will determine if further charges related to the illegal possession of hazardous chemicals will be added.
The Court's Stern View
The culling has placed the Telangana government in a precarious position between angry rural voters and federal law.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court took a stern view of the "institutional failure" regarding the stray dog menace, warning state governments of "heavy compensation" for dog-bite injuries. However, it reiterated that killing is an illegal and unacceptable "solution."
In response to the FIRs, the state administration has issued a memo to all District Collectors to strictly enforce the 2023 ABC Rules, which mandate sterilisation, and vaccination over relocation or culling.
