Three persons who were reportedly involved in the alleged killing of an unspecified number of dogs in the Thrikkakara municipal area were arrested from Maradu in Kozhikode district on Monday. They were brought to the Infopark police station in Kochi and released on bail after their arrests were recorded, police sources said.
They added that a notice had been issued to an official of the Thrikkakara Municipality, summoning the official for questioning, on the basis of the statements of the arrested persons.
The arrested are Praveesh, 26, Ranjith, 39, and Raghu, 47, all hailing from Maradu. The police said further investigation would be carried out on the basis of the statement of the municipal official.
Meanwhile, sources in the Animal Husbandry Department said the cause of the death of the dogs had not been ascertained, as the carcasses were badly decayed. They were four to 10 days old, they added. Twenty-five carcasses were retrieved from a municipal dumping yard.
Samples of internal organs and muscular tissues of the animals have been sent to the Regional Analytical Laboratory at Kakkanad for further tests to ascertain the cause of death.
The municipal authorities have denied involvement in the killing of the animals though the Opposition has ranged against the ruling UDF coalition for alleged violation of rules to control stray dog population.
