The Delhi Police have filed four First Information Reports (FIRs) against individuals who participated in recent protests against the Supreme Court’s order on stray dogs. The protests, which took place on August 11 and 12, saw hundreds of animal activists and dog lovers gather at India Gate and Connaught Place to oppose the court’s directive.
The Supreme Court’s order mandates the relocation of stray dogs from localities in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, and Faridabad to shelter homes within eight weeks, and prohibits the release of any animal back onto the streets.
Clashes and Conflicting Accounts
According to Delhi Police officials, the protestors were in violation of prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which were in place due to Independence Day security arrangements. Police allege that protestors were uncooperative and refused to move to Jantar Mantar, the designated protest site. “We gave them repeated warnings and even asked them to shift to Jantar Mantar, but they did not listen to us,” a senior police officer said. The officer added that “minimal force” was used to control the protestors after they resisted being put into buses.
However, protestors have alleged police brutality, with a video circulating online that purportedly shows a police officer slapping a protestor. The authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Stay Pleas
Following the protests, the Supreme Court heard pleas seeking a stay on its relocation order. Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi government, defended the order, arguing that it was necessary to address the issue of public safety. He claimed that despite vaccination efforts, sterilization, and efforts by dog lovers, children were still being “mutilated” and dying from rabies.
Conversely, advocates for the petitioners argued that the order was difficult to implement due to a severe lack of adequate shelter homes.
A three-judge bench, consisting of Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and NV Anjaria, has heard the arguments from both sides and has reserved its order. The decision will determine whether the stay on the dog relocation order will be granted or if the process will move forward as planned.