Mumbai: Food delivery person sodomises dog in Powai, held

The corridor at Hira Panna Mall in Powai where the incident took place; (right) the six-month-old dog

A 28-year-old food delivery person was arrested on Saturday for allegedly sodomising a dog inside a mall in Powai. The arrest came after animal activist and stray feeder Minu Sheth, 61, lodged a complaint with Powai police.

As per sources, Sheth, who is also a member of NGO Bombay Animal Rights, feeds several dogs in the area. On October 29, she received a video from Vijay Mohanani, president of the NGO, where the delivery person could be seen sodomising the six-month-old dog on the premises of Hira Panna mall. Following this, she approached the police and filed a complaint.

It has come to the fore that the accused would indulge in the act often. Another delivery person, who caught him in the act, recorded a video of it and sent it to his colleagues. The video eventually reached Mohanani.

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Mohanani said, "I am deeply hurt by this incident. This is the second such incident in the Powai area. Last year a dog named Nuri was raped by a person at the same place. The perpetrator had also inserted a stick in Nuri's private parts."

Speaking about the dog in the present case, he said, "The dog has been medically examined, and has swelling in her private parts. She is very scared and is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital. I urge Mumbaikars to help her by adopting her."

"People are silent about the cruelty meted out to these animals. We urge the court to issue directions about the same and take strict action against the abusers," Mohanani said.

Niharika Gandhi, a dog behaviourist and trainer, said, "A human being is far from being human. Only the lowest species can do such a heinous crime. Rapists of any kind need to be given the strictest form of punishment so that it deters others from committing a crime so horrific. I am deeply hurt by this accident. There is a need to bring in strict laws."

"These delivery boys come to our doorstep, enter our safe space. There has to be some mechanism in place to verify their characters. Companies should look into past police records before hiring new staff," she said.

An officer from Powai police station said, "We have registered a case against the accused and arrested him under Section 377 (unnatural offences) of the IPC and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960." The accused was produced before the Bandra court on Sunday and has been remanded in police custody.

29
Day in October when the complainant saw the video