Karjat municipal staffer brutally assaults stray dog

NAVI MUMBAI: In yet another case of cruelty against animals, a stray

dog

was brutally assaulted by a

Karjat

municipal staffer outside the Karjat railway station on Thursday.

An activist, Komal Jain, who witnessed the Karjat dog bashing, immediately intervened in the matter and stopped the civic employee from further assaulting the already terrified dog.

"The Karjat Municipal Council workers, who clean the garbage outside the railway station, were severely beating the dog with sticks. When I started photographing them and told them that it is illegal to harm any animal like this, they stopped and promised to come back with a veterinarian. However, they never returned. I waited there for four hours," said Jain, who took the injured dog to Karjat-based animal shelter run by Roxanne Davur.

The chief officer of Karjat Municipal Council, Ramdas Kokare, told TOI, "I have learned about the incident and have now instructed our workers not to hurt animals. There seemed to be some misunderstanding among the workers with regards to the dog, but now it has been sorted out."

Davur added, "Some of the municipal employees present at the spot while the dog was being beaten knew my phone contact details, but they silently watched the incident. Also, the Karjat

municipality

still does not have any proper dog sterilisation plan in place."

Responding to Davur's allegations, Kokare said, "We had earlier passed e-tenders for dog sterilisations, but no party turned up. We are willing to take it up if any NGO shows interest."

However, Davur alleged that due to 'corruption and ego tussles' the animal

birth control

measures have not been implemented in Karjat for years.

Justice For Bindu: City-based animal lovers and activists are planning to hold a peace march 'Justice For Bindu' at Carter Road in

Bandra

, on September 9, in order to stress on strict punishment for the cruel dog killer. Bindu, a lactating female dog was killed by a watchman in Kandivali by shoving a rod into her private parts.

The activists also appealed the government authorities to further strengthen the animal protection laws so that they serve as a deterrent for those who harm or kill the mute species.