Mumbai Crime: Senior citizen thrashed for feeding strays in Andheri

Anjali Chaudhari claims she has been feeding strays in the suburbs for years

The DN Nagar Police on Thursday booked a resident of a cooperative housing society in Andheri west, for allegedly thrashing a 62-year-old animal activist, Anjali Chaudhari.

Chaudhari was allegedly hit when she was outside a Lokhandwala housing society. "I have been feeding strays for more than 25 years but for the past two weeks I have been harassed by society members, asking me not to feed the animals near their building, because the cats and dogs then relieve themselves in its premises," said Anjali Chaudhari, who runs the NGO Bezubaan Foundation.

Activist molested

"On Thursday afternoon while I was feeding the cats and dogs, several members of the society came out and started arguing with me and my associates. A society member then manhandled and pushed me and I fell. I called other animal activists to the spot. But the society members misbehaved with them and one female activist was touched inappropriately. We called the police and later registered an FIR, but the accused is yet to be arrested," Chaudhari added.

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Police dilly-dally

Another activist claimed that the police did not register the FIR immediately. "That day the police were not ready to register an FIR. So I met DCP Paramjit Singh Dahiya and after his intervention, they registered an FIR," claimed Sanjeev Chopda, another animal activist. "Chaudhari has been feeding more than 500 stray dogs and cats every day in Lokhandwala, Seven Bungalows, Four Bungalows, Santacruz and Oshiwara. She cooks more than 80 kg food herself every day for them, and roams in the areas in her private vehicle meant for the strays," Chopda added.

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Official speak

The FIR under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC for the molestation of the other activist, and 504 (unintentional insult) has been registered at DN Nagar police station. "We are investigating the matter after taking the complainant's statement and a video provided by the activists," said a police officer.

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