Stray Dog Killings in Telangana: 9 Booked Including Sarpanches
A case has been registered in Telangana’s Hanumakonda district over the killing of nearly 300 stray dogs. The incident has triggered outrage, with police booking cases against 9 individuals, including the sarpanches of Shayampet and Arepally villages.
It highlighted on Sunday after police officials and doctors visited both villages and conducted postmortems on the buried dog carcasses. The findings prompted immediate legal action under animal cruelty laws.
NGO Complaint Sparks Police Action
According to Parkal Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Satishbabu, the case was registered following a complaint filed by A. Goutham, representing the Stray Animal Foundation of India, an NGO based in Karimnagar district.
#WATCH | Hanamkonda, Telangana: On FIR registered for allegedly killing 300 stray dogs in Shayampet and Arepally villages, P Ranjith Rao, Circle Inspector, Shayampet PS says, “On January 9th, we received petition from a cruelty prevention manager at Stray Animal Foundation. In… https://t.co/ZmhPGbgTds pic.twitter.com/mSXUE77Pyj
— ANI (@ANI) January 12, 2026
In his complaint to Shayampet police, Goutham alleged that two hired individuals administered lethal injections to hundreds of stray dogs within the gram panchayat limits of Shayampet and Arepally between January 6 and January 8. The complaint stated that the mass killing was carried out systematically over several days.
Call for Humane Stray Dog Management
Beyond seeking criminal action against those responsible, the complainant urged the government to adopt humane and scientific methods to manage the stray dog population. He specifically called for the implementation of animal birth control programmes, along with sterilisation and vaccination, as long-term solutions.
These measures, the complaint noted, are legally sanctioned and widely recommended to control stray populations without resorting to violence.
Village Elders Defend Decision, Cite Public Pressure
However, the incident has also revealed a sharp divide within the villages. Sources said that several village elders questioned the basis of the complaint, arguing that the action was taken in response to growing public pressure.
According to them, the stray dog population had become a serious nuisance, particularly during the recent sarpanch elections, prompting demands from residents for immediate action. They claimed the decision reflected public sentiment rather than individual intent.
Charges Filed Under Animal Cruelty Law
Based on the NGO’s complaint, police booked cases against the two sarpanches and their husbands, a deputy sarpanch, two village secretaries, and two daily wage labourers. All have been charged under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.