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

Hyderabad: A case was registered against Limbadri, chairman, and vice-chairman Naveen of Metpally municipality in Jagtial district, following allegations that around 90 to 95 stray dogs were caught and lodged in a forest area earlier this month; The complainant said this action violated animal welfare laws and amounted to cruelty.

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

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

Police noted in the FIR that Goutham claimed that both the public representatives had agreed to switch places during separate phone calls. The complaint stated that Naveen told Goutham on May 14 that the dogs had been moved to another area, and Limbadri informed him that 40 to 45 dogs had been moved the day before. Allegedly, the municipal commissioner also sent him a video about the release of the dogs via WhatsApp.

Goutham claimed that a dog-catching team was assigned for the operation and that the animals were treated brutally during the capture. He also said that transporting community dogs to forests or unknown places is prohibited under the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 and sought legal action against all those involved.