The Vanrai police have filed a case against two NESCO Center employees in Goregaon East for allegedly preventing the feeding of dogs, resulting in the death of 26 of them. Mehek Sharma, a businesswoman and animal lover, reported the issue with the help of the Pal Foundation, a non-profit aiding strays.
Sharma and her husband had been feeding 35 to 40 dogs at NESCO Center for a year. However, for the past 3-4 months, two employees, Mini from management and Maurya, a security guard, obstructed the feeding. The complaint states that Mini and Maurya blocked an ambulance when Sharma sought treatment for the dogs.
On July 22, NESCO management called Sharma and Anita Mendes, another dog lover, for a meeting about feeding the dogs. Mini and Maurya reiterated their objections and threatened to photograph anyone attempting to feed the dogs. On July 26, Sharma, her husband, and a few others requested permission to feed the dogs. An employee granted temporary permission, but the security guard barred them from entering a restaurant inside the center, citing a rule against outsiders.
The police have charged the employees under sections 325 (mischief by killing or maiming an animal) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with section 11(1) (cruelty) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
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Mehek's husband, Ayush Sharma, said, “The dogs have been dying due to a lack of food and water. The NESCO administration sent notices to their security department stating that no one is allowed to feed or provide water to the dogs.”
