Chennai: Two men arrested for beating dog to death

Chennai: Almost a week after a brutal incident of two security guards beating a stray dog to death at Anna Nagar here, both the men were arrested on Tuesday, based on a complaint filed by a resident.

The security guards identified as Murthi and Senthil have been booked under Sections 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) (mischief by killing or maiming cattle etc., or any animal) and Section 11(1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.

Eyewitnesses to the incident stated that the guards only acted upon the orders of the president of the residents’ welfare association of the apartment, one Sunder Raj. 

The incident happened on October 1 and the arrest was made on Tuesday, added a witness.

One of the witnesses in a report said that he heard a dog howling in pain and when he peeped out of the balcony of his house, found two security guards beating the animal.

“I rushed down and took a video of the assault, but Sundar Raj threatened me and asked me to delete the video,” the witness said.

Nishal Jeyanth, the complainant was able to capture some shots of the place after the guards left. With this, he approached the Anna Nagar West police station to file a complaint.

According to the FIR, the dog had burn marks on its body, most likely from bleaching powder. “One of the men even boldly declared that he would beat other stray dogs also in future. They still go around armed with big sticks to continue with their mission of beating other stray dogs,” read the complaint submitted to the police.

However, Nishal says that hatred of stray dogs in the colony is not new. “This has been happening for a while. They claim that these dogs bite children, which is not true. They are fine with pet dogs, but not with strays,” added Nishal.