The dog was thrown off a three-storey building terrace in Chennai by the medical students
The dog that was thrown off a three-storey building terrace in Chennai, must wear a cast that will leave her immobile for next few weeks. But the duo Goutam Sudharshan and Ashish Paul who committed this ghastly act, did not even spend a day in jail for it.
Both Sudharshan (who threw the dog) and Paul (who filmed it) were arrested early morning on Wednesday and were produced before Sriperumbudur court. They were released on Rs 5000 surety each. Animal lovers and activists were left angry, but at the same time they weren't surprised given the lax law.
Antony Rubin who played an important role along with his two animal activists friends Shravan Krishnan, and Jennifer Jacob Anand in getting the accused nabbed said that they were disappointed but had not lost hope.
"The accused have managed to get bail from the court but have been suspended by the medical college where they were studying final year MBBS. Some very good lawyers are now helping us free of cost as we have decided to challenge the bail to get it cancelled from the High Court," said Rubin adding that they wanted to set an example not only for Chennai but for the entire country.
An upset Shravan Krishnan said it was shocking that in spite of the video evidence and so much of public outrage, the culprits couldn't be even jailed for one day, which speaks volumes for the animal welfare laws. "It's a "Black Day" for Animal Welfare in India," he said.
NG Jayasimha, Managing Director of Humane Society International /India said, "The penalty in the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 for killing, mutilating and maiming an animal has never been revised since 1960. Currently, the maximum penalty even for the most heinous form of animal abuse is a petty Rs 50," he said. Jayasimha's NGO started a #NoMore50 campaign against the paltry fine as animal abusers have taken advantage of this feeble law and have continued to inflict unsurmountable amount of cruelty on animals.
Jayasimha said that they had been pursuing the issue of amending the Act as well as making it cognizable offence with the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF). "There has to be a deterrent and if people are fined heavily or made to serve jail term it will be a lesson to everyone," he said.
Dog is named Bhadra (Warrior) now
Meanwhile the dog is now recuperating at the Vepery Medical College (TANUVAS) in Chennai after being treated by vets who have put a cast around her legs. Now named Bhadra for her fighting spirit, the dog was found late on Tuesday night by activists and was extremely scared. "It was found that she had sustained two fractures in her right hind leg and her spine. Bhadra, despite being in state of shock was not difficult to treat and recovery is expected to take four to six weeks," said Shravan Krishnan.
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