Mumbai News: Activists Blame Police Inaction FFor Community Dog Barfi’s Death In Mira Road, Seek AWBI Intervention

Animal activists have sought help from the animal welfare board of India (AWBI) to deliver justice to Barfi, a friendly community dog living in Mira Road (E), that was mercilessly killed by three local men. The activists have alleged that police have failed to investigate the case and have been very lenient against the accused.

Police Delay Alleged

On Thursday, The Free Press Journal reported that Mira Bhayandar Vasai Virar (MBVV) police booked three individuals, named Saddam Hussain, Raju Gautam and an unknown accomplice, for allegedly assaulting a community dog Barfi and forcefully relocating it from Queen’s Park in Mira Road (E). The dog was left in the locality when it was very young and since has been looked after by the locals.

Activists have alleged that although the complainant reached out to the police on September 15, the same day of the assault, to register a complaint but an FIR was registered on September 16 only after significant pressure from social activists and political figures. They alleged that the police detained one of the accused on the same day of assault but released him without registering a complaint.

Search Led by Locals

The police visited the site in Uttan where Barfi was supposedly left but claimed that it could not find the dog. After six-day-long search operation, activists and local animal lovers, including Roshan Pathak, Leena Mehta, Swapnil Tapse, Arslaan Malik, Sachin Jilka and Dr Vivek Rawat, found the dog’s body on Sunday evening around 20km away from the site searched by the police. However, they alleged that the investigating officer reached the spot, which was only 6km away from Mira Road police station, after over five hours which delayed the post mortem to the next day.

The group that found Barfi’s body, highlighted that an animal ambulance was unavailable due to which a local animal lover had to offer her personal car and another young activist drove to Lower Parel at midnight to reach the hospital.

Pathak, who is an animal rights advisor at PAL Foundation who found the dog’s body, said, “We searched day and night for six days, which is actually the police’s job, before discovering Barfi's lifeless body. Perhaps Barfi would still be alive today if the cops had acted appropriately on the first day. Even after locating the body on our own, the police did not provide any assistance as we had to wait for more than five hours along with the body amid heavy rain just for the investigating officer to arrive for punchnama.

Activists’ Stand

Activists have alleged that the dog would have been alive if the police had reacted proactively on the day of incident. Following the incident, the legal team of Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Welfare Foundation wrote a letter to AWBI seeking the board to direct the police to expedite the investigation and ensure strict legal action against the accused. They have requested the board for help to set a precedent that deters such brutality in the future and emphasises the seriousness of animal cruelty.

“This incident raises grave concerns not just for animal welfare, but for public safety as well. Individuals capable of such violent and inhumane acts against innocent animals pose a potential threat to society at large. The cruelty displayed reflects a deeply disturbing mindset that requires urgent attention,” read the letter.