26 stray dogs were killed within a span of 24 hours at the Chengamanadu Panchayat of Aluva in Kerala. The mass killing was carried out on Sunday night and Monday morning, after a unanimous decision was taken by panchayat committee despite the legal restrictions in place.
As per news reports, the panchayat representatives themselves led the mass drive to cull the strays in the area. According to the members, the culling of strays would continue in the coming days too. In Chengamanadu, stray dog menace has reached alarming proportions.
Panchayat president PR Rajesh told the media that all 18 panchayat members had together initiated the said drive and it would be implemented in every panchayat ward.
Apart from ward members, local political leaders and natives of the area too joined in the move to annihilate the stray menace.
The Panchayat president reiterated that they were ready to face any legal action in the matter.
Chengamanadu is just one among the many other panchayats in Kerala that have gone ahead with the drive to rein in the stray menace through killing of the dogs.
On 16 September, Gils Periappuram -a Muncipality ward councillor of Piravam in Ernakulam was arrested by the police for killing ten stray dogs. He was later given bail. The incident came to light after a video of the slain dogs was released online and shared on Whatsapp.
Earlier in the Njarackal Panchayat in Ernakulam, another panchayat member, Mini Raju, was also arrested for the same crime.
Businessman and founder Chairman of the V-Guard Industries Limited, Kochouseph Chittilappilly who has been actively campaigning against the stray dog menace in Kerala has extended his wholehearted support for both Gils and Mini.
Chittilappilly termed their acts as noble, and ones propelled by their ‘courage and commitment to a people's issue."