Wadgaon Sheri : Bramha Suncity residents stunned as stray dogs released without warning, allege residents

In a shocking incident, residents of Bramha Suncity in Wadgaonsheri were taken aback when 50 stray dogs were relocated amid high police security at 2 AM on May 13. The residents questioned that the stray dogs were released in the society premises without informing the society residents. The suspicion increased as the dogs were released early morning, surpassing the society security and without prior intimation about the dogs being relocated in the society, informed a resident, who remained anonymous.

Nagendra (Nagen) Rampuria, managing committee member of Bramha Suncity Society, said, “We had requested the PMC Commissioner, Addl Commissioner, district collector and other concerned officials to allow us time till we are heard by the Supreme Court in the welfare of both the animals and citizens. This requested time was well within the compliance date, i.e., the 7 June, to implement the court’s order, hence no contempt of the court. However, the dogs were released a couple of nights before the Supreme court’s hearing in haste, he said.

Nagen, further stated that the society was unhappy with PMC and Pune Police as the strays were released at 2 am gate crashing into the society, without notifying or informing the society management committee, questions intend of the civic body. “It was an irresponsible way to release the dogs. There was no handover of the stray dogs which we all had requested to the PMC commissioner along with the other ask for the vaccination and sterilization certificate of the dogs, tagging them to maintain record keeping and identify the feeding locations before they were released, all in the welfare of animals. But nothing as such happened,” he added.

He also stated that Bramha Suncity had proposed a mid-way solution in the welfare of the dogs and residents. This was discussed and documented in the Animal Welfare committee meeting, which was formed on the notice of AWBI to resolve this human animal conflict. The same was also proposed to PMC to solve this problem. However, none was ever considered, only to aggravate the problem further than solving it.

For the last 2 days Police had come inside society multiple times without any purpose, only to make the residents feel like criminals. He personally feels that the administration has failed the citizens by addressing egos and not the problem in order to solve it.

Speaking to Pune Pulse, Vineeta Tandon, animal activist said, “PMC has always been violating the ABC Rules and few times we had filed police complaints . But the Brahma Suncity incident, it was very obvious that they fell under political pressure or friendship and ridiculed the Central Govt laws in broad daylight.

“There was no dog bite and no investigation was done as per Evidence Act. Wound was a Linear Split created wound which is impossible in a dog bite, dog bite wound is 4 punctured deep bite marks from 4 canine teeth. Any dog behaviourist will say that dogs heard a loud sound, definitely of child slipping and hurting on his head, and suddenly running inside the parking. Moreover the unnecessary delay of 3 months of release of illegally captured dogs shows PMC wrong intentions. I had personally handed over a Court order Contempt notice to PMC commissioner to release . They were in no mood to release after HC order too,” she added.

Balkrishna Kadam, police inspector, Yerwada police station told Pune Pulse that they have followed the High Courts order which stated that they should relocated to their original place.

Repeated attempts to reach out to the Pune Municipal Corporation officials were unsuccessful.