Municipal Chairman And Deputy Sued For Capturing And Relocating Stray Dogs To Forest

HYDERABAD: A case has been registered against chairman Limbadri and vice-chairman Naveen of Metpally municipality in Jagtial district following allegations that around 90 to 95 stray dogs were captured and relocated to a forest area earlier this month, an act the complainant says violates animal welfare laws and amounts to cruelty.

Metpally police registered the FIR on May 28 under the BNS and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act based on a complaint filed by Adulapuram Goutham, cruelty prevention manager at the Stray Animal Foundation of India.

According to the FIR, Goutham alleged that around 40 to 45 stray dogs were relocated on May 13 and another 50 on May 14 on the instructions of Limbadri and Naveen, , the dogs were transported in a vehicle released in a forest area.

Police recorded in the FIR that Goutham claimed both public representatives admitted the relocation during separate phone conversations. The complaint stated that Naveen told Goutham on May 14 that the dogs were being moved to another area and Limbadri allegedly informed him that 40 to 45 dogs had been relocated a day earlier. According to the complaint, a video related to the release of the dogs was also sent to him through WhatsApp by the municipal commissioner.

Goutham alleged that a dog-catching team had been engaged for the operation and that the animals were handled brutally during capture. He further said that relocating community dogs to forests or unknown locations is prohibited under the animal birth control rules, 2023, and sought legal action against all those involved.