Pune: The administration of FLAME University in Pune has been accused by students and alumni of mistreating dogs on campus. According to the students, dogs at the campus were frequently tortured, relocated, and beaten. The student further mentioned that there are about forty-five dogs on campus.
The students further claimed that an assistant professor of Sociology and the faculty advisor to the student-led Animal Welfare Committee (AWC), Sinjini Mukherjee has also been harassed for feeding the animals, as per an Indian Express report. The report mentioned Mukherjee was served legal notice by the University in November and that the 'animal feed' was confiscated from her office in a 'raid'.
Ex-student's account
A police complaint was filed by a former student after a dog named Banana was brutally beaten on campus last year.
Another ex-student and former AWC president told Indian Express that the management put pressure on the committee to relocate the dogs to a shelter, alleging that their presence restricted students' freedom of movement.
She further alleged that the management did not pay any heed to them when they voiced their concerns.
Current students stance
A current student also told IE that they have seen multiple case of animal abuse on the campus. The student also mentioned that there have been zero cooperation from the management's side for students who take care of these animals. The report further mentioned that the student alleged that the students instead had to face harassment in order to provide care for them.
University's response
The Registrar of the University had also earlier sent out notice to students asking them to feed dogs at a designated dog shelter, owing to the increase in dog bite cases at the campus.
However, FLAME University has refuted both Mukherjee's and the campus's claims of animal abuse. A university representative told the Indian Express that being a Jain-minority University, it had a strong commitment to respecting all living things. "As an institution with a strong track record of gender inclusivity and campus harmony, we find these claims unfounded and completely contrary to our values," he told IE.
