(IN): Dog’s death baffles police

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Link: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090121/jsp/guwahati/story_10417315.jsp

Dog's death baffles police

A STAFF REPORTER

 

*Jan. 20:* City police have a " peculiar case " on their hands.

 

The owner of a German Shepherd has lodged a complaint at Paltan Bazar police

station regarding the suspected " murder " of her pet dog.

 

" This is probably the first complaint filed by a dog owner at any city

police station about the suspected murder of a pet dog, " a police official

said.

 

The police said the complainant, Rumi Dutta Baruah, a resident of Borthakur

Mill Road in Ulubari, suspects that someone poisoned her pet dog

intentionally to " harass her family " .

 

Investigating officials of Paltan Bazar police station are now scratching

their heads over how to investigate the case, registered under Section 429

of IPC.

 

The section provides for punishment to those who commit mischief by killing,

poisoning or maiming animals. If pronounced guilty by court, the convict

could face imprisonment upto five years or fine or both.

 

" We are not sure how to proceed further and may take the help of experts

from the state veterinary and animal husbandry department, " the official

said.

 

" We have started investigation according to the laws laid down for such

cases. We have registered a case and conducted an autopsy. Investigations

are on, " he added.

 

The post-mortem was conducted at the College of Veterinary Science in

Khanapara yesterday.

 

Baruah had found her six-year-old German Shepherd lying dead on vomit

alongside two dead crows on Saturday morning. She used to unleash the pet

within the compound of her house at night.

 

She alleged that the police were initially reluctant to receive her

complaint but finally agreed to register the case on Sunday when she

approached senior police officials through Sangeeta Goswami of the People

for Animals, an NGO working for animal welfare.

 

Denying allegations of their unwillingness to register the case, the police

said they were waiting for the autopsy report and the findings of the

forensic test on the samples of vomit collected from the spot to probe

further.

 

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