Irked mob culls dogs in Varkala
The melee started the early morning in the seaside tourist town near the state capital here.
Thiruvananthapuram: A day after street dogs mauled to death a 90-year-old man, a mob of around 300 people culled several dogs near his home at Varkala on Thursday. Policemen who came to arrest their leaders, Uma Preman who heads Thrissur-based charity Santhi Medical Information Services and Aluva Shishu Kshema Samithi chairperson Jose Maveli, were stopped by residents.
The melee started the early morning in the seaside tourist town near the state capital here. In a hunt that lasted for hours, until 11 am, some 40 dogs were culled by the mob. The Varkala police came to arrest them, but residents of Mundayil and Wacher Mukku shielded them. Political workers led by legislator V. Joy convinced the police to defer arrests. The police registered cases against Mr Maveli, Ms Preman, George and Ranjan and ten unidentified persons.
“We are yet to arrest them. We have registered cases under IPC Sections 428 and 429 (killing or maiming an animal) and Section 2 (1) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act,” a senior police official said. On the other hand, Mr Maveli claimed that he had got no intimation from police regarding a case being registered against him. Meanwhile, the body of Raghavan who was killed by dogs on Wednesday was released by Medical College after an autopsy.