The Samta Nagar police booked the driver of a car on Thursday, for allegedly committing mischief by killing a dog. On June 12, a black dog was struck by the driver of a Scorpio in Kandivli East.
The dog sustained injuries to its back and mouth and subsequently died. Accordingly, a case has been registered against the driver, after a lawyer, Nidhi Hegde, 33, filed a complaint with the Samta Nagar police. According to the police report, Hegde, a resident of Kandivli East, received a call from her acquaintance, Akshay Gangavane, at 10.38 pm on June 12.
Gangavane informed her that a car had hit a black female dog, resulting in her death near Gopinath Munde Garden, Lokhandwala, Kandivali East. Bystanders attempted to stop the driver, but he fled the scene.
Complainant Nidhi Hegde, who has been feeding dogs in the locality for the last 14 years, reached the site with a doctor but couldn't save the dog which was in tremendous pain as the car had run over her back, severely damaging her uterus.
The Samta Nagar police immediately registered an FIR based on the cars registration number, which was available to the local rickshaw drivers who had chased the car after the accident. Police booked the driver Vinay Pal and his accomplice Gaurav Garg, who ran over the dog resulting in her death.
The following day, a case was filed under Section 429 (mischief by killing or maiming an animal) of the Indian Penal Code, along with relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
Mumma Rani was a friendly dog: Lawyer Nidhi
The eight-year-old dog, Rani, was lovingly called Mumma Rani, since she had had puppies. Talking to The Free Press Journal, Hegde said, "Mumma Rani was the most friendly dog in the neighbourhood though she lived in the jungle area. When both the accused were brought to the police station, they claimed that they were animal lovers but no animal lover would ever leave a dog in this plight even after running over it by mistake. They had the resources to take her to the hospital but they didn't."
