Another Mass Stray Dog Killing in Telangana: 100 Found Dead in Nagarkurnool
In a disturbing recurrence of animal cruelty incidents, approximately 100 stray dogs were allegedly killed in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana. The grim discovery was made on Tuesday evening when dog carcasses were found buried at Thimmaipally village in Charakonda Mandal.
Incident Details and Police Response
The dog killings were reportedly carried out following orders from the village sarpanch and gram panchayat secretary. Based on a complaint filed by Preethi Mudavath of the Stray Animal Foundation of India (SAFI), Telangana police have registered an FIR against these officials. The charges include sections 325 read with 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and section 11(1)(a) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
A Nagarkurnool police officer stated, "We have recovered a good number of dog carcasses. We have not ascertained who poisoned them." The police have initiated an awareness campaign to prevent further mistreatment of stray animals.
Postmortem and Administrative Apathy
SAFI has accused the district administration of showing apathy towards the incident. Mudavath emphasized that "The dog carcasses were sent for postmortem only after we intervened. The postmortem is important to determine the cause of death." Initially, the carcasses were discovered in a pit dug outside the village border, as detailed in the complaint.
Political Context and Previous Incidents
This incident occurs approximately one month after the panchayat elections held in December 2025 in Telangana. It is believed that village administrations promised to eliminate the stray dog menace upon winning the elections, leading to these killings.
This is not an isolated case in Telangana. Earlier incidents include:
- 120 dog carcasses retrieved from two villages in Hanamkonda district
- 100 dogs recovered from Kamareddy district
- Dogs reported missing in Yacharam village near Hyderabad
- 300 dogs allegedly poisoned in Jagtial
Calls for Government Action
The complaint highlights that the government should have implemented proper animal control measures, such as sterilization and vaccination programs, to address the stray dog issue humanely. Instead, "The dogs were injected with poison and their food was also poisoned," according to a police officer.
This tragic event underscores the urgent need for systematic and compassionate approaches to managing stray animal populations, rather than resorting to cruel and illegal methods that violate animal protection laws.
