A man allegedly killed a stray dog by slitting its throat, in Lucknow’s Nigohan area, prompting outrage among locals and dog lovers after a video of the incident surfaced on social media, police said on Wednesday.
The man was detained, and following a medical test, it was found that he was mentally unstable, police said, adding that he has been sent to a rehabilitation centre, till the investigation is on.
A purported video of the incident, which has gone viral, shows the man pinning down the dog’s body with his foot while using a knife on its neck. The video also appears to show blood splattered around the spot as bystanders can be heard asking him to stop.
Nigohan SHO Anuj Kumar Tiwari said police had received the complaints and were verifying the viral video and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
“Appropriate action will be taken against the accused on the basis of facts that emerge during investigation,” the SHO said.
According to separate complaints submitted by villagers and an NGO, the incident took place on Tuesday. The accused was identified as Ballu, son of Gaurishankar, and a resident of Nigohan village.
Residents alleged that the man first repeatedly slammed the dog to the ground and later slit its throat with a knife. They further alleged that he skinned the animal even as people nearby tried to stop him.
Several villagers, including Vikas, Vivek Kumar, Sunny Kashyap, Umesh, Rohit Kashyap and Ram Kishan, and an NGO have submitted a written complaint at Nigohan police station demanding strict legal action against the accused under provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and other relevant sections.
