Guest guest Posted February 11, 2007 Report Share Posted February 11, 2007 Online edition of India's National Newspaper Monday, Feb 12, 2007 ePaper Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram Foreigners booked for attacking dogcatchers Special Correspondent Mayor seeks police protection for municipal health team Six persons, including four women, alleged to be involved in the attack Police investigating whether the accused violated visa conditions Thiruvananthapuram: The City Corporation on Sunday sought police assistance after a group of foreign nationals allegedly assaulted a municipal health team involved in capturing stray dogs from the Vellar ward on Saturday night. One of the animal handlers who was injured in the incident has been hospitalised. Mayor C. Jayan Babu said he had talked to City Police Commissioner K. Padmakumar and sought his assistance to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. On the basis of a complaint lodged by the Corporation, the Kovalam police booked four foreign nationals, including Avis Lyons of Animal Rights Kerala, on charges of assault and preventing Government officials from discharging their duty. The police were also investigating whether the accused had violated visa conditions. They said the identity of the other three accused could be confirmed only after questioning Ms. Lyons. According to G.R. Anil, chairman of the Corporation's Standing Committee on Health, the squad was attacked and beaten up by a six-member persons, including four women and their associates, claiming to be animal rights activists. The squad members fled into the premises of the Samudra Hotel at Kovalam where the security personnel alerted the police. A police team that arrived on the scene was confronted by the angry women who refused to budge. Later, women constables were brought in to remove the foreign nationals. Corporation officials said the police had refused to register a case against the miscreants. " They wanted to hush up the incident because it involved foreign nationals, " said a civic official. Mr. Anil said the foreign nationals were guilty of violating visa conditions. " They have no right to disrupt an official programme or take the law into their hands. We have requested the police to register a criminal case and take legal action against them, " he said. According to civic officials, the squad members were capturing dogs in the Poonthura area when they received a call alerting them of the menace created by a couple of rabid dogs at Vellar. The squad comprising three dogcatchers and a driver immediately rushed to Vellar where they were accosted and manhandled by the gang lying in wait for them. " Apparently, the squad was lured into a trap, " said a civic official. The driver of the vehicle was pushed out and the others beaten up and their shirts torn. The women demanded that the captured dogs inside the vehicle be released on the spot. By the time the police rescued the squad, one of the dogcatchers had sustained an injury on his hand. He was later admitted to the General Hospital. The Mayor visited the hospital on Sunday morning along with the Corporation Health Officer Sreekumar and Mr. Anil. He later called up the Police Commissioner and requested him to ensure the safety of the Corporation employees. He said the Commissioner had promised to inquire into the matter and take legal action against the miscreants. Corporation's Senior Veterinary Surgeon L. Ravikumar said the attack by the foreign nationals based at Kovalam was the latest in a chain of similar incidents over the past few months. " The same people had tried to prevent our team from capturing stray dogs posing a menace to the public. By assaulting citizens and creating a law and order situation, they have raised a challenge to the rule of law, " he said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 12, 2007 Report Share Posted February 12, 2007 The last line of the message in which the Senior Veterinary Surgeon, Ravikumar, was quoted as having said " ...they have raised a challenge to the rule of law " is most ironic considering that it is the Municipality which is not following the rule of law - namely the Dog Control (ABC) Rules. It is most surprising that in a State which prides itself on being 100% literate, laws are being flouted so openly by the Municipality and the Government. Literate, may be. But educated??? S. Chinny Krishna AG BABU [agbabu] Monday, February 12, 2007 3:31 AM aapn Cc: awbi killing even the sterilised dogs! Online edition of India's National Newspaper Monday, Feb 12, 2007 ePaper Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram Foreigners booked for attacking dogcatchers Special Correspondent Mayor seeks police protection for municipal health team Six persons, including four women, alleged to be involved in the attack Police investigating whether the accused violated visa conditions Thiruvananthapuram: The City Corporation on Sunday sought police assistance after a group of foreign nationals allegedly assaulted a municipal health team involved in capturing stray dogs from the Vellar ward on Saturday night. One of the animal handlers who was injured in the incident has been hospitalised. Mayor C. Jayan Babu said he had talked to City Police Commissioner K. Padmakumar and sought his assistance to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. On the basis of a complaint lodged by the Corporation, the Kovalam police booked four foreign nationals, including Avis Lyons of Animal Rights Kerala, on charges of assault and preventing Government officials from discharging their duty. The police were also investigating whether the accused had violated visa conditions. They said the identity of the other three accused could be confirmed only after questioning Ms. Lyons. According to G.R. Anil, chairman of the Corporation's Standing Committee on Health, the squad was attacked and beaten up by a six-member persons, including four women and their associates, claiming to be animal rights activists. The squad members fled into the premises of the Samudra Hotel at Kovalam where the security personnel alerted the police. A police team that arrived on the scene was confronted by the angry women who refused to budge. Later, women constables were brought in to remove the foreign nationals. Corporation officials said the police had refused to register a case against the miscreants. " They wanted to hush up the incident because it involved foreign nationals, " said a civic official. Mr. Anil said the foreign nationals were guilty of violating visa conditions. " They have no right to disrupt an official programme or take the law into their hands. We have requested the police to register a criminal case and take legal action against them, " he said. According to civic officials, the squad members were capturing dogs in the Poonthura area when they received a call alerting them of the menace created by a couple of rabid dogs at Vellar. The squad comprising three dogcatchers and a driver immediately rushed to Vellar where they were accosted and manhandled by the gang lying in wait for them. " Apparently, the squad was lured into a trap, " said a civic official. The driver of the vehicle was pushed out and the others beaten up and their shirts torn. The women demanded that the captured dogs inside the vehicle be released on the spot. By the time the police rescued the squad, one of the dogcatchers had sustained an injury on his hand. He was later admitted to the General Hospital. The Mayor visited the hospital on Sunday morning along with the Corporation Health Officer Sreekumar and Mr. Anil. He later called up the Police Commissioner and requested him to ensure the safety of the Corporation employees. He said the Commissioner had promised to inquire into the matter and take legal action against the miscreants. Corporation's Senior Veterinary Surgeon L. Ravikumar said the attack by the foreign nationals based at Kovalam was the latest in a chain of similar incidents over the past few months. " The same people had tried to prevent our team from capturing stray dogs posing a menace to the public. By assaulting citizens and creating a law and order situation, they have raised a challenge to the rule of law, " he said. [Dr.Chinny Krishna] .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 13, 2007 Report Share Posted February 13, 2007 Report of Roxanne Davur/ Terra Anima Trust/Ooty Being on an enforced holiday, thanks to the AWBI I went to Kerala for a few days. On Saturday 10th Feb,At Fort Kochi I noticed a thoroughbred(ex racehorse) at the water front not even 100 metres from the Fort Kochi Police station being kept for tourist riding. I asked the syce to give it water to which he replied that he didn't need water and would not drink it even if given. I requested him to prove me wrong. He supplied a large bucket of sea(salt)water which the animal did not drink. As the syce said no water was available I led the horse to the Police Station where on the way I was joined by another thoroughbred. At the Station both horses drank almost 3 buckets of water each. Mr. Mukesh Jain came to the station and volunteered help. I called the District Collector and informed him of the action taken.A " Special Branch " officer started to hassle me for trying to put a complaint. The horses were malnourished and full of worms, which was confirmed by a Vet report. They were stallions which can endanger the public. I had made an agreement with all Turf Clubs that only gelded(castrated) animals be let off the Race Course. The Syce then named his owner Mr. Francis, who called himself Chairman of the Cochin Horse Race Club.I also informed the General Secretary of the Turf Clubs as this " Club' does not exist. It was then established that Mr. Francis was requested by the District Collector to supply these animals for tourist riding including inporting a camel from Rajasthan. The children riding at his riding club ride on the traffic roads. He has no licences or papers. He has an ex Army Officer Vet who is his advisor. This is the same District Collector who had an official function last month for the ABC programme for the 2nd or 3rd time. All catchers trained by Animal Rescue Kerala for the ABC programme are now used to catch and kill the dogs and besides their salary are paid an extra Rs 20 for any dog killed.The DC complained that the SPCA are doing nothing until I pointed out that normally the DC is the Chairman and he can call a meeting through the local papers.I also pointed out that in a Muslim majority area like Fort Cochin it was strange to find no dogs but lots of goats on the road.................................... The Papers reported about this horse incident on Sunday 11th feb 2007 I am slightly confused that Local Officials, Army Vet Officers and Animal Husbandry Vets still seem to be unaware of Animal Welfare Laws and why they are not held accountable for their wrong actions. I was given to understand by the AWBI that I am not showing enough compassion for the criminals and therefore must be punished instead of supported.However the AWBI should hold regular monthly eductaion courses for the Municipalities so that they are aware of all the laws. Roxanne Davur Terra Anima Trust Ooty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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