The timely intervention of a man saved a dog from the cruel torture of a biker who dragged it along the road at high speed at Edakkara near Nilambur on Saturday evening.
The dog suffered bruises and wounds. Ummer Valappan, a social worker at Edakkara, was going home on his motorcycle when he noticed two men on a scooter going at high speed with a dog tied to it with a long rope.
“The dog was struggling and getting dragged as the scooter raised its speed. I just couldn’t stand that cruelty,” said Mr. Valappan.
When Mr. Valappan warned the men, they ignored him. He turned his bike and gave them a chase. He caught up with the dog and the scooter at a slope and blocked them.
The scooter rider allegedly tried to attack Mr. Valappan when he questioned them.
“When I stopped them, the dog had nearly fallen with many bruises on its hind legs,” said Mr. Valappan. When people gathered, the men took the dog and sped away on the scooter.
The police identified the man as Xavier, who moved in from Gudalur to Edakkara. He reportedly tortured the dog after it chewed on his slippers.
Members of an Emergency Rescue Force (ERF) based at Nilambur rescued the dog soon after the incident and gave medical aid.
Several bruises
“The dog suffered several bruises and wounds,” said ERF leader Abdul Majeed K.M.
“Such cruelty against the dog is an offence under Section 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 11 (1) (a) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. Moreover, the man was driving rashly and negligently, with a long rope tied to the bike and dragging the dog with it. This could have potentially injured pedestrians and caused road accidents,” said Sally Varma, animal rights activist.
The police registered a case against Xavier on a complaint by Ms. Varma.
