Mumbai: While the police are still searching the accused who killed five dogs and dumped their bodies in a nullah in Kandivali (W) on Saturday, animal activists have decided to join for a candle light vigil to demand justice for the innocent animals. The candle march also aims to end animal cruelty in India with a demand to increase the fine against animal cruelty from Rs 50 to Rs 50,000.
According to the First Information Report registered with Kandivali (W) police station, five dogs were found dead in a nullah near Mangalmayi Tower in Kandivali (W)’s Sai Nagar. The residents had got the bodies removed from the nullah and got them cremated. While the police were earlier hesitant, the PAL Foundation assisted a resident and got an FIR registered against an unknown individual for mercilessly killing the dogs.
The Kandivali police registered an FIR for animal cruelty in the early hours of Monday under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS 2023) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Animal Cruelty Act, 1960.
Sudhir Kudalkar, a dog-loving police officer, said, "The incident occurred on Friday, and the residents learned about it on Saturday. A few dogs were killed very cruelly, with the accused cutting their legs."
While an animal activist claimed through a social media post about the death of 14 dogs in the incident, PAL Foundation’s legal advisor Roshan Pathak, who was present at the scenario said that only five bodies were recovered from the nullah. While the post mortem of the bodies is under process, the police are going through CCTV footages from Wednesday to Sunday of around 50 CCTV cameras in the locality.
Animal activists have announced to organise a candlelight vigil on Sunday 5pm to demand justice for the five dogs which were killed. The candle march will start from Mangalmayi Society in Sai Nagar, where the incident happened and will proceed to Dahanukar Wadi signal and back.
The candle march also aims to demand an end to animal cruelty in the country. Activists will raise the demand that the fine of animal cruelty according to Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s Section 325 should be increased from Rs 50 to Rs 50,000 to bring change in society.
“Our candlelight vigil is against the hatred towards stray animals. We demand that the increasing animal cruelty in the country should be stopped immediately. If you cannot feed or show love to an animal, at least don’t kill it. An animal would never harm any human until it is disturbed. These instances will stop only after the animal cruelty laws become stricter with fine being increased from Rs. 50 to Rs 50,000,” said Pathak.
