Nearly 100 stray dogs were allegedly "poisoned to death" in Mancherial district, police said. An animal welfare activist, A Goutham, told police that on the intervening night of March 7-8, around 100 stray dogs were killed in Kishtapur village.
The complainant, who works as Cruelty Prevention Manager with the Stray Animal Foundation of India, accused the Sarpanch and Gram Panchayath Secretary of Kishtapur village of hiring two people to kill the dogs with poisonous injections and burying them near a river.
Based on the complaint, a case was registered under relevant sections of BNS and the Prevention of Cruelty of Animals Act at Jannaram police station against the Sarpanch and Gram Panchayath, police said. Investigation is ongoing.
Mass killings of stray dogs have been reported from different districts in Telangana in January and December last year, bringing the total to around 1,300. Cases were registered against Sarpanchs, their husbands, Gram Panchayat Secretaries and others following complaints from animal welfare activists.
The killings are suspected to have been carried out by some elected representatives, including Sarpanchs, allegedly to fulfill promises made to villagers ahead of the gram panchayat elections in December, to address the stray dog issue.