Mumbai: Dog critical after being assaulted with an iron rod
In a shocking case of animal torture, CCTV footage has surfaced showing a youth in Mumbai's Vakola assaulting a stray dog with an iron rod. The dog has fractured his skull and is critical. Locals later trashed the 24-year-old before handing him over to cops. He has been arrested under IPC Section 429 and the Prevention of Animals to Cruelty Act.
What happened?
The incident came to light when Surekha Kharat, a resident of Rizvi building in Kalina, noticed Haroon Khan mishandling the dog. She then checked CCTV footage and saw what happened: the stray dog was passing by when Haroon picked up a rod and started thrashing it. Residents rushed Dabbu the dog to the Parel Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Do animal cruelty laws help?
Animal cruelty laws need to be looked at. Often they don't even compel offenders to appear in court. Cases are bailable and fines are scanty. During 2011-2016, the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals registered over 20,000 cases, but in 13,089 of these, the accused didn't even appear in court, just paid penalty.
