Animal activists face threats from dog-killer

Bengaluru: Canine lovers, who are fighting a case against a politically influential accused who deliberately ran his car over a street dog in Bengaluru, have allegedly been threatened that they 'would also meet the same fate as the street dog'.

The police have booked an FIR against 23-year-old Adhi for deliberately running his luxury Audi car on a street dog named 'Lara', while it was sleeping by the roadside. Adhi was arrested later and given bail the same day. The CCTV footage of the incident has gone viral on social media and provoked outrage among the public.

Badari Prasad Margasahayam, former corporate consultant and animal activist, who filed the complaint against Adhi, told IANS that the associate who came to negotiate regarding the withdrawal of complaint had threatened them. "An additional FIR has been filed in this regard and police have informed us that the person would be questioned Wednesday)," he said.

"We asked the associate to send the accused directly, as we wanted him to know what he had done was not fair, absolutely unacceptable and atrocious," he said.

"The person who was negotiating got irked and threatened Manjari, a member of the squad, that we will also meet the same fate as the street dog," he explained. Later, a complaint had also been registered in this regard.

Later, when the dead body of the dog was found, hundreds of animal lovers participated in the final rituals of Lara and mourned the death on Tuesday. Sandalwood actress turned politician Ramya also joined animal lovers. The cremation of Lara was conducted at Sumanahalli Animals crematorium. Laura was brought to the crematorium in an ambulance. Gayathri, the animal lover who fed Laura since she was a puppy was also present.

School children who joined the mourning condemned the act and held posters condemning animal cruelty. They also brought roses and other flowers for the dead canine.

Actress Ramya said, "We couldn't tolerate this act. Laws regarding animals are not strict in our country. The accused pay Rs 50 and come out. Empathy is not only for human beings, it should be there for animals too," she said.

"Firstly, the law has to be strengthened. Big people with deep pockets will escape from clutches of law. I request the government to strengthen laws in this regard," Ramya said. IANS