3 stray dogs poisoned to death; police register case

Sant Tukaramnagar police on Monday filed a case against an unidentified person after some stray dogs were found dead allegedly due to poisoning at Mahindra Antheia Society, Pimpri on Saturday evening.

According to animal activists, eleven strays on the society campus were fed food laced with poison by unknown people. Three of them have died, and the medical condition of others is serious. The autopsy of two strays was carried out at the government veterinary clinic in Aundh and samples have been sent to laboratory for further investigations, they said.

According to the police, Manish Singh, animal lover and society resident, saw several stray dogs with unexplained vomiting, diarrhoea, and lethargy. “We immediately took the unwell dogs to a veterinary clinic in Kalewadi, and they were given antidote and other medicines. The housing society has a huge campus, and it is difficult to identify how many dogs have fallen ill and how many have died. A police complaint has been lodged,” he said.

Meanwhile, some residents of 14-acre Mahindra Antheia Society had approached the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation’s veterinary department four days ago and complained about the stray menace.

“They made a verbal complaint stating that senior citizens are being attacked by stray canines, and it is unsafe for kids to play in the open,” a civic official said on request of anonymity.

Padmini Stump, an animal activist and founder of “Mission Possible Foundation”, said, “We have filed an FIR in the case. This is not only an act of grave cruelty under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, but also a criminal offense as per Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).” She alleged that one of the residents who has been feeding the strays for the past few years has been harassed and physically assaulted by other society members.

The police complaint filed by Priya Gugale, 41, of Mahindra Antheia Society, states that the incident happened between 10.30pm of April 13 and 8.30am of April 14 and 13 stray dogs living on the society campus were poisoned by an unidentified person. Three dogs have died and the medical condition of six others is serious.

Vanita Dhumal, senior inspector, Sant Tukaramnagar Police Station, said, “A preliminary complaint has been received regarding the poisoning of nine stray dogs and further probe is on.”