Khandwa man dresses as a dog in front of ADM to protest against stray dog menace

A man wearing a dog mask walked into the Khandwa Collectorate during Tuesday’s weekly public hearing, drawing attention to the city’s stray dog problem. The unusual protest was organised alongside Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Deepak Rathore, who alleged that around Rs 40 lakh had been spent on sterilisation drives over four years, even as thousands of dog-bite cases were reported, a TOI report stated.

Dog mask protest at public hearing

The unusual scene unfolded at the Khandwa Collectorate when a man dressed as a dog arrived at the Jan Sunwai wearing a canine mask.

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Security personnel initially stopped him and Rathore from entering the hearing venue because of the unusual appearance. The duo was later allowed inside after opposition leaders intervened and insisted that they be permitted to attend the public hearing.


The protest was aimed at drawing attention to the growing number of stray dogs in the city and questions surrounding the civic body's sterilisation programme.

'The protest aimed to highlight alleged financial irregularities in the municipal corporation's stray dog management efforts" Rathore said, further claiming that despite the civic body spending approximately Rs 40 lakh over the past four years on dog sterilisation drives, the stray dog population has continued to swell unchecked.

13,225 dog-bite cases alleged

Rathore told officials that the stray dog problem had become a public safety concern in Khandwa. He said children, women and elderly residents were particularly affected by the fear of dog attacks.

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According to his allegations, Khandwa recorded 13,225 dog-bite cases over the past four years. He questioned whether the municipal corporation's sterilisation campaign had achieved its intended purpose despite the money reportedly spent on it.

"If lakhs of rupees were truly spent on neutering dogs, why has the stray population not dropped, and why are bite cases rising?" Rathore questioned, emphasizing that the issue directly impacts public safety rather than being a mere administrative matter.

Probe sought into sterilisation drive

Rathore submitted a memorandum to Additional District Magistrate Kashiram Badole during the hearing. The memorandum sought a detailed investigation into several aspects of the sterilisation programme. These included the tendering process, the eligibility of the agency hired for the work and records related to payments made by the civic body.

Rathore also demanded physical verification to establish how many stray dogs had actually undergone sterilisation. He said that if the investigation found fraudulent billing, violations of rules or other wrongdoing, an FIR should be registered against the officials or contractors responsible.

ADM promises action if irregularities found

ADM Kashiram Badole said the complaint submitted during the public hearing would be examined. "The matter submitted during the public hearing will be investigated. If any irregularities are found, strict legal action will be taken against those responsible as per the rules," Badole stated.

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The inquiry will determine whether the allegations concerning the sterilisation programme, its implementation and financial records have any basis.

(Source: TOI)