For Rs 20, Naigaon security guard stuffs stray in sack, drowns it

An animal lover fished out the body of the stray dog after it had been drowned the day before. Pic/Hanif Patel

Days after the outrage over the stray dog being badly thrashed by a security guard for seeking shelter in a Worli building, comes another story of brutality from Naigaon. A security guard of a building in the area allegedly put a stray dog into a jute bag, tied it and threw it into a drain on July 28, where it drowned. He allegedly did this at the behest of some society members and of some shopkeepers in the area. An animal lover, who heard about the incident, rushed to the spot and fished out the body on July 29. The incident came to light when the animal lover shared a video to Animal Welfare officer Mitesh Jain showing him taking the dog's body out of the nullah. "I immediately called on the number provided in the message and spoke to the woman said to be residing at Oasis Park society in Naigaon, Vasai West. She revealed that the watchman of the society, Bharat Joshi, threw the dog away after stuffing it into a jute bag on July 28," said Rathod.

"I personally visited the spot and met the watchman and recorded his in-camera statement. He not only confessed to the crime but also revealed the name of the other accused in the matter," Jain said. The watchman told Jain that he along with one Mithun Patel caught the dog and on the directions of Joshi, Patel, one Anand (second name not known), and one Bharat Potteket threw the dog into the drain located behind the building. "A shopkeeper gave him R20 for the job," he added. Jain told mid-day, "I get around 8 to 10 cases every day. These complaints are regarding cruelty against animals by society members. Some people don't like animals in their areas, some don't want the area to be used to feed animals because they feel animals are an inconvenience to them." "Nowadays, if society members don't want dogs inside the society, they just tell their the security guards to thrash them. Article 51A speaks of compassion towards every life firm," said Jain.

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"This act by the watchman is totally inhuman and horrifying. I went to Naigaon police station and registered a complaint in the hope that such incidents do not occur again," Jain added "Initially, the police refused to register my complaint. I then contacted Superintendent of Police Gaurav Singh, who took the matter seriously and instructed senior officer Rajendra Kamble of Naigaon police station to register the case," Jain said. A police officer from the Naigaon police station said no arrest has been made yet and that they would be investigating the case.

Also Read: Man hides in house after being chased by dog, killed on suspicion of being thief

10

No. of cases of animal abuse received every day

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