Gurugram family held hostage for feeding stray dogs

Gurugram: In a bizarre incident, a family from an upscale condominium at Vatika 21, sector-83 in Gurugram, were held hostage in their car by protesting residents of their housing society for feeding stray dogs.

The residents of the society alleged that the dogs had bitten children recently, said the police on Tuesday.

The neighbours allegedly surrounded the family's car when they returned home on Monday evening and did not allow them to come out of their vehicle.

"A resident of that residential society is a dog lover and frequently feeds stray dogs in their locality. The other residents of the society alleged that a few days back, one of the dogs bit a resident. The resident along with his wife and their three-year-old daughter were returning home on Monday night when other people from the society surrounded their car and held them hostage," said Preet Pal Sangwan, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Crime).

In a video, the complainant Sumit Singla alleged that the "Resident Welfare Association (RWA) and various goons" surrounded his car, tried to "attack" his wife Kirti Gupta and his three-year-old daughter, and tried to enter into the car.

Sumit alleged that the protesters had also misbehaved and manhandled his family and the police reached the incident site after several hours.

However, the police refuted the family's allegations and said after receiving the information about the incident, a police team along with ACP (Manesar), Hitesh Yadav, and four station house officers (SHOs) of different police stations reached the spot and pacified the protesters.

"In connection with the incident, an FIR has been filed under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Kherki Daula police station. Necessary action will be initiated against those found guilty," Sangwan said.

The RWA President Ram Mehar said,"On our recommendation the maintenance agency of the society has filed a complaint against the dogs to the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). We didn't file any complaint against the family to the police. The dogs have bitten children in the society. Now the family with a wrong intention has registered a complaint against the RWA despite not having any role in it."

Meanwhile, Y.P. Chauhan, Estate Manager of G21, a maintenance agency of the society said, "We had filed a complaint related to dogs vaccination with the MCG. We have no problem with dogs and we have even provided a space outside the society for dogs."