Ruff day as village erupts in violence over mating of pets in Gujarat

AHMEDABAD: Two groups from a village in Gandhinagar engaged in a violent clash, complete with stone-pelting and assaults, on Monday evening. What sparked the melee? A canine courtship. Apparently, one villager's pet dog was caught trying to mate with a pet belonging to another villager. The two villagers did not see eye to eye on the matter. Soon, stones were thrown, insults were hurled, and fur flew as the two groups went at it. Rajeshsinh Jhala, a resident of Pahadia village in Dehgam taluka of Gandhinagar, filed a complaint with Rakhial police on Tuesday. He told cops that his father, Himmatsinh, was walking his pet dog when his neighbour Ratansinh Jhala's dog made a beeline for it, trying to mate.
Himmatsinh allegedly called Ratansinh, asking him to take his dog away. "This did not go well with Ratansinh, who abused Himmatsinh. The latter objected to this, and Ratansinh threw a stone at him. The situation quickly escalated with Ratansinh's family joining the fray and attacking Rajeshsinh's family with sticks," stated the complaint.
Rajeshsinh Jhala told police that he, his father, mother Savita, uncle Dalpat, and sister Nita suffered injuries in the attack.
Rajeshsinh alleged that Ratansinh Jhala and his family members also threatened to kill him.
Ratan and seven of his family members are facing a slew of charges, including causing grievous hurt, endangering human lives, unlawful assembling, provocation against public peace and criminal intimidation.
On the other hand, Ratansinh also filed a complaint against Rajeshsinh and his four family members, alleging that they attacked him and his family.
Ratansinh said Himmatsinh was the first to throw a stone at the dogs to separate them. When he objected, Himmatsinh allegedly began pelting stones at him. Then, Himmatsinh's family allegedly attacked Ratansinh and his family members with sticks. Ratansinh claimed that he, along with his brothers, Gulab and Kishan, and two female family members, Gaji and Ranjan, suffered injuries in the attack.
Rakhial PSI N M Chaudhary said five accused had been arrested while the rest are on the run.
"The two families had not been on talking terms for long. In such a scenario, when the dogs began mating, the two families got a chance to indulge in a brawl," said Chaudhary.