Kochi: In an act of cruelty, a pet dog was tied to a car and dragged along a road by a man to be abandoned in the wild, but freed after a passerby confronted him near here in Ernakulam district on Friday.
The passerby, an eye-witnesses, took a video of the incident and it went viral on the social media following which police arrested Yousuf of Konnam House, Chalakka, near Nedumbassery, who drove the car.
Police quoted him as saying he wanted to get rid of the female dog as its presence was causing problems with strays on his street.
Akhil, who shot the video, said he noticed the dog being dragged on the road by the car around 11 am near Paravur. "It was a horrific scene. A rope was tied around the neck of the dog and it was being brutally dragged along the road", he told PTI.
When he questioned the act, the man behind the wheel stopped and allegedly yelled: "What is your problem if the dog dies."
Following the argument, the Yousuf removed the rope and drove away, leaving the injured dog on the road.
The pet, traced later, was taken to a government veterinary facility and treated for its wounds, officials said.
Akhil said he informed the matter to DAYA, an animal welfare organisation, which in turn lodged a complaint with the police and Yusuf, a taxi driver by profession, was arrested.
The man has been charged under IPC sections 428 (Mischief by killing or maiming animal), 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc) and Section 11(1) in The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, the police said.
State Transport Minister A K Saseendran, after coming to know about the incident, asked the Motor Vehicles Department to impound the vehicle. Paravoor Joint RTO complied, and handed it over to the police.
The department is likely to take more action which will include cancelling the license of the driver.
(With inputs from PTI and IANS)
