24 dogs beaten to death in Tamil Nadu

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In a gruesome incident, about two dozen dogs have been beaten to death in Vellur village at Kancheepuram district on Monday night.

Animal activists and members of the Blue Cross of India rushed to the spot following complaints from the public and recovered as many as 24 carcasses, with a few being exhumed from nearby paddy fields.

The carcasses of the stray dogs were scattered in the nearby lake and paddy fields, said Dawn Williams, general manager, Blue Cross. The carcasses were posing a health hazard for the residents of the area.

Eyewitnesses alleged that workers at a real estate firm promoting plots in the nearby area were responsible for the death of the stray dogs. The public claimed that the dogs were caught and beaten to death to keep the plots free from strays, according to Williams.

A police complaint has been filed against the real estate group in the nearby station. The carcasses have been sent to Madras Veterinary College for autopsy, he said.

“This is not the first time that such an inhumane act is happening. Even the government bodies continue to violate animal welfare norms and more than 200 dogs have been killed in the past six months,” complain sources attached to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty against Animals (SPCA), adding that last week about 20 dogs were shot dead behind Puzhal jail where government quarters are located.

“In many cases, government staff indulge in the gruesome acts and the irony is that even pets are caught using metal wires and put to death. The worst part is that canines are buried alive without mercy. Even pups are not spared,” an SPCA life member said.