Chennai: In a incident that has sent shockwaves all around, as many as 50 community dogs were poisoned and then burnt alive at Keezhamur village near Melmaruvathur, about 50km from Chennai, on June 5.
This inhuman act was allegedly executed by a bunch of villagers who claimed that a few dogs in the area harmed their sheep and goats while they were grazing.
The tragedy remained under covers for almost four days till a villager took the matter to an animal activist P Aswath, who then reported it to the police.
Soon, the Melmaruvathur police swung into action and after registering a case arrested villagers Murali, Muthu, Murugadoss and Jeeva in this connection.
Police said the villagers also claimed that some of their animals died of dog bites.
However, no traces of sheeps and goats getting injured were found.
"When I approached the village panchayat president and vice-president, they denied the killings," said Aswath.
"But I have evidence to prove that more than 50 dogs were killed in the village," he added.
Aswath said that the police didn't give much attention to his complaint at first.
"They seemed to support the version of the villagers. But the dogs were poisoned and doused with kerosene before being set on fire," he said, adding, "I collected the bodies and burnt them fully."
