Daijiworld Media Network - Mancherial

Mancherial, Mar 15: Nearly 100 stray dogs were allegedly poisoned to death in Kishtapur village of Mancherial district, police said on Sunday.

Animal welfare activist A Goutham, in a complaint to police, stated that the killings took place on the intervening night of March 7 and 8. According to the complaint, around 100 stray dogs were allegedly killed after being administered poisonous injections.

Goutham, who works as the Cruelty Prevention Manager with the Stray Animal Foundation of India, accused the village sarpanch and the gram panchayat secretary of hiring two persons to carry out the killings. The dogs were allegedly buried near a river after being poisoned.

Based on the complaint, a case has been registered at Jannaram police station under relevant sections of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act against the sarpanch and the gram panchayat authorities, police said. Further investigation is under way.

Police said several incidents of mass stray dog killings were reported in different districts of Telangana in January this year and December last year. The deaths have reportedly taken the toll to nearly 1,300 dogs, following which cases were registered against sarpanchs, their husbands, gram panchayat secretaries and others after complaints were lodged by animal welfare activists.

The killings are suspected to have been carried out by some elected representatives, including sarpanchs, allegedly to fulfil promises made to villagers ahead of the gram panchayat elections held in December last year to address the stray dog menace.