No action in dog killings

Even after dog lovers of Bhayander and Mira Road submitted fresh evidence against Shamlal Badal, the 60-year-old pig slaughterhouse owner who allegedly poisoned about 20 dogs to death, the Navghar police station is yet to take action against him. The police station had, on May 8, filed a first information report after the residents found dogs collapsing in their compound and, though their parallel investigation, uncovered evidence against Badal.

Salim Charania, president of PAWA, a non-governmental organisation that is helping residents find the accused, said that on May 8, they managed to obtain more closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage and, more importantly, two eyewitnesses, one of whom had seen Badal feeding the dogs.

“In the old footage the face of the person was unclear. But on Monday, we managed to find out a labourer from the same locality who had seen Badal feed the dogs. We also managed to retrieve CCTV footage that is clearer and, more importantly, we have the video footage of Badal himself owing up. We have submitted the proof to the Navghar police officials,” said Mr Charania.

Residents said that they suspect that Badal was also involved in killing dogs some time ago.

“We request people to identify him. If anyone has seen him carrying out a mass killing or witnessed the incident in the Bhayander case, please contact the police or the Pawa India Team immediately,” said one of the residents.

Badal had allegedly poisoned around 20 dogs to death on Friday night. As the CCTV footage of one of the buildings captured the man feeding dogs at night, the Navghar police station filed an FIR based on the complaint lodged by a resident of the building. The police, even after being provided with CCTV footage, had claimed that it wasn’t clear and asked the complainant to get an eyewitness and, if possible, get clearer CCTV evidence. On the other hand, Badal and his family members had started complaining that he was not medically strong and had started asking the complainants for forgiveness.