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Patna, Aug 5 (IANS) This dog has finally had its day as a Bihar court gave a

clean chit to Chhotu, a widow's pet dog, after some neighbours had

complained it was creating trouble in the neighbourhood.

 

The court of the sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) in Purnea district, about

300 km from here, made it clear in its order that dog was not mad and its

behaviour was also not violent.

 

“The SDM observed the dog's activities and behaviour and concluded that it

was neither mad nor violent as alleged in a police report,†said Dilip

Kumar Deepak, a lawyer who helped dog owner Rajkumari Devi, a childless

widow living alone with only the pet animal in her house.

 

The dog itself, along with Rajkumari Devi, appeared in the court Tuesday for

second time within a fortnight.

 

Last month some of Rajkumari Devi's neighbours complained that

eight-year-old Chhotu was a mad dog and it had attacked and bitten several

people. A case was lodged in a local court by a neighbour, Jagdish Das.

 

The police in their report to the court said the dog was violent and

dangerous to peace of society.

 

Dilip said that in July the SDM court issued a summons to Rajkumari Devi to

be present in the court along with her pet. “The court was compelled to

issue a summons also to the dog in view of the police report,†he said.

 

For Rajkumari Devi and Chhotu, it was not the first time they had a victory

over neighbours.

 

Nearly five years ago, a local court had sentenced the dog to death but she

fought a legal battle and mobilised the support of animal rights activists,

including former central minister Maneka Gandhi.

 

The order was finally stayed, saving her pet's life.

 

'I simply begged for clemency saying that being a widow, it was my only

companion and protector. If the dog had been killed, I would have been left

with no one to protect me from miscreants who were bent upon grabbing my

property,' she had said.

 

'My dog is everything for me. Chhotu is like my father, mother, brother and

friend. It takes care of and protects me. I will not allow people to

separate me from Chhotu,' said Rajkumari, a frail woman clad a soiled sari.

 

 

--

Naresh Kadyan,

OIPA -http://www.oipa.org

Representative for INDIA,

-http://www.oipa.org/oipa/news/oipaindia.html

-http://www.oipa.org/oipaindia.html

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