In connection with the death of 45 dogs caged inside a ‘dog park’ at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) campus since last year, a police complaint has been filed against IIT-M registrar Jane Prasad and the management on Friday, October 15. A case of illegal confinement and killing of dogs inside IIT-M was filed with the Chennai Commissioner by KB Harish, an animal activist based in Bengaluru.
In the complaint copy addressed to the Commissioner, Harish said that the IIT-M registrar Jane Prasad and the management is responsible for illegally capturing 186 healthy stray dogs and housing them in closed cages with chains since October 2020.
Harish in his letter noted that all the dogs were healthy and most of them were sterilised as per Animal Birth Control Rules 2001 before the illegal capture.
“After the illegal capture and confinement, the dogs were deprived of care thus resulting in slow and painful deaths of 45 dogs. Registrar herself confessed about the deaths. Capturing the dog in a closed space would have caused mental trauma to the dogs,” Harish said.
“The police should investigate into the deaths of dogs under Sections 428 and 429 of Indian Penal Code (IPC). Additionally, IIT-M is in contempt of Supreme Court orders. The management should release all dogs,” added Harish.
It is to be noted that on September 17, the Madras High Court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to ensure that stray dogs are not housed at the dog park, created by the IIT-M management. Justice PD Aadikesavalu and Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee during the hearing noted that it is not the responsibility of IIT-M to maintain stray dogs.
The IIT-M management by housing the dogs have violated five freedoms that should be followed in animal welfare, say activists — freedom from hunger and thirst; freedom from discomfort; freedom from pain, injury or disease; freedom to express normal behaviour and freedom from fear and distress.