A video went viral on social media platforms where a woman can be seen killing a dog sleeping on the street by hitting it with a sharp weapon.
This incident took place three days ago in Tarakeshwar municipality-4 of Kathmandu. A local Juna Baram got angry after her child was bitten by a dog and killed the dog (Seti). Nevertheless, it is understood from the locals that the child had teased Seti multiple times.
After the incident, some people from the neighborhood took the CCTV video of the dog being killed and went to the Police Circle, Balaju to file a complaint. However, the police did not accept the complaint saying they had ‘much important cases than the killing of a dog’.
The police accepted the complaint and arrested accused Baram on Thursday only after receiving pressure from local residents and animal rights activists.
Animal rights activist Kavita Acharya says that despite Baram admitting that she killed the dog, the police did not file a complaint initially. “Even when the dog killer is admitting that she killed the dog, it is unfair to dilly-dally and not take action until they are pressurized,” said Acharya.
The Ward Chair Narendra Das Shrestha, said he tried to settle the dispute between local residents and animal rights activists saying that ‘the woman was not aware of the legal provisions against killing dogs’, however, the situation escalated.
As per Civil Code of Criminal Procedure-2074, Chapter 27, Section 290, ‘anyone who beats, hits or make any animal or bird, make them consume harmful substances or tortures them in any other way shall be punished with imprisonment up to three months or a fine of up to five thousand rupees or both.’
Similarly, Section 289 of the Code provides provision of imprisonment up to three years for killing any animals and imprisonment for up to 6 months in case of mutilation.
