The police picked up the “dog killer” Shital from his residence at around 11.15 pm on August 27 on charges of committing cruelty against animals as per Indian Penal Code 428,429 and under section 109 of the CrPc.
TFM News Service
Thokchom Shital Singh (37) had killed a brown and dark striped dog mercilessly. He was preparing to butcher and cook the dog meat at his Moidangpok Mayai Leikai residence located at Imphal West. The dog was sold to him by the owner identified as Thokchom Sunder Singh (36), son of Iboyaima of the same locality.
Sunder Singh sold his own dog to Shital for a sum of Rs 4,000. The meat was later to be sold at a way-side vendor run by Shital. An animal rights group named Dog Protection Society rushed to save the dog from being killed but it was already too late. Sunder Singh had already killed the dog inside the compound of his own residence and kept it covered with a gunny bag. His family members also knew of the incident.
The Dog Protection Society (DPS) led by its general secretary M Ajoy, popularly known as Da Naoba along with members of the animal activists-society rushed to the Patsoi police station to file a complaint about the incident.
The dog was allegedly bludgeoned to death by Shital. The animal rights activists insisted that the dog should be properly buried and talked to Sunder, the owner. Later, Patsoi police team with the activists went to Sunder’s residence at Moidangpok Mayai Leikai. There, they saw that the dog was covered with a gunny bag. There were marks on the head of the dog and the activists said that the neck of the dog was also twisted around.
Sunder’s sister screamed at the activists trying to argue that the dog was theirs and they could do whatever they wanted with it. “It’s our dog and we can kill it if we want,” Sunder’s sister said. Later, when she was confronted by the activists who reminded her that the dog was with their family for the last four years, “How could you have such a heart ? ” the activists shot back.
Later, she changed her story stating, “We did not kill the dog, the dog had its own death.” the police picked up Sunder along with the dog and took them to the police station.
Police taking the statement of Sunder said that he had sold the dog to Shital for Rs 4,000. Though no formal case was registered, the matter was taken up by an executive magistrate (SDC Konthoujam ) of Imphal West. The police also picked up the “dog killer” Shital from his residence at around 11.15 pm on August 27 on charges of committing cruelty against animals as per Indian Penal Code 428,429 and under section 109 of the CrPc.
Thokchom Shital told the magistrate that he had no knowledge that killing a dog for eating was punishable under the law and said that he will not repeat the mistake again. Afterwards, the magistrate released them both with a personal bond of Rs 1000 each with their assurance of good behavior in the future.
The Dog Protection Society members lament that the fact that dogs are being treated by some owners as if they were “food items” rather than being treated as man’s best friend. “How can they have the heart to kill their own dog, they have reared it for four years, in my book- they are akin to murderers. How did the woman find the heart to say that she can kill their dog because it is theirs,” Sanju, a member of DPS told TFM.
M Ajoy alias Naoba along with his team has been rescuing stray dogs including those that are wounded. “The present predicament is that there is no proper infrastructure for housing the stray dogs that have been rescued. The laws against committing crimes against animals need to be more stringent. It would help protect the animals and people would think twice before committing any such acts”, said Naoba. Later, the dog was laid to rest and buried by Shital and Sunder.