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Owing to the problem of increasing number of stray dogs in Niphad of Maharashtras Nashik district, UBT's Yuva Sena district chief Vikram Randhave dumped live puppies inside a sack onto the office desk of a civic official as a mark of protest.
The incident, which took place at the Niphad Nagar Panchayat office, drew sharp condemnation from the civic administration and animal rights activists, even as the youth leader defended his act citing surging dog bite cases in the town. Recounting the incident, Dheeraj Bhamre, Chief Officer of the Niphad Nagar Panchayat, stated that the leader barged into his office along with others and engaged in aggressive behaviour before leaving the animals on his desk. "Yesterday, a councillor, her husband, and three others came to my office. They barged in and started shouting loudly, arguing over the alleged lack of action regarding stray animals. They were unwilling to engage in dialogue. They then dumped puppies--which were inside a closed sack--onto my desk," Bhamre said. Terming the act "highly condemnable," the Chief Officer added, "It raised serious concerns regarding the safety of everyone present. We also learned that the puppies belonged to someone and had been brought here without the owner's consent. We urge the district and police administrations to take strict action and ensure the strictest possible punishment for the guilty." Defending his contentious protest, Vikram Randhave alleged that the civic administration had turned a blind eye to public safety despite repeated appeals. "The number of stray dogs in Niphad city has increased significantly, leading to attacks on women, senior citizens, and children. We informed the Chief Officer multiple times, but they have stalled the matter for the past seven months," Randhave claimed. Citing hospital records, Randhave added, "According to Niphad City Hospital data, 154 dog bite cases were reported between June and July, followed by 151 in August. If such incidents happen every month, action must be taken against concerned officials. We also love animals, but when the public is suffering, we have to remind authorities of their duties. It was in this context that I took two stray puppies there." However, the protest method has drawn severe backlash from animal welfare groups, who condemned the handling of live animals as a political gimmick. Animal rights activist Vijay Angare criticised the act, stating, "He brought two stray puppies stuffed into bags and left them on the table of the Chief Officer. While his protest was against the administrations inaction on the animal sterilisation programme, the method of protesting was completely wrong." "Using a living being for a political stunt or to gain views on social media is unacceptable. Everyone has strongly objected to this, and such incidents must not be tolerated," Angare asserted. (ANI)
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