In a gruesome act, a dog tied to the boot of a moving car was dragged along the road at Chalakkara near Paravur, inflicting unspeakable horrors on the canine on Friday morning.
Though the incident took place in the morning, it came to public attention only in the afternoon, after a video went viral, following which the Chengamanad police registered a suo motu case.
It soon emerged that the dog, in fact, belonged to Usuf of Kunnukara. “He was taking the dog to abandon, as the animal was found a nuisance at home. Obviously, he was not aware of the seriousness of his action and never expected it to go viral,” said police sources. Though the police dropped in at the owner’s home, he could not be immediately found.
The video shows the heart-rending scene of the dog looking distinctly haggard, initially jogging after the car and then dropping to its side, only to be dragged along the tarred road mercilessly as the car gathered speed.
The brutality could have lasted longer but for some alert youngsters who, besides questioning the act, forcing the man behind it to unfasten the rope that tied the dog to the car, also captured it on video which went viral.
“When we chased him down and questioned him about the cruelty, he was quite aggressive and asked us why we should bother even if the dog died,” said a youngster who witnessed the barbaric act.
The dog was not seen for hours before it was tracked down in the evening with the rope still attached to the collar around its neck. The visibly wearied dog had multiple wounds on its limbs and body after being dragged through the rough surface of the road.
The dog owner was later charged with IPC Sections 428 and 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming animal) and relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The accused found himself in troubled waters after the Motor Vehicles Department through a social media post informed that he had been booked under the Motor Vehicles Act and his car seized. His driving licence also seems to be in jeopardy following the incident.
Hearing the news, Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran directed the Motor Vehciles Department to seize the car which was used to torture the dog. The MVD seized his car and handed it over to the police.