An Indian citizen adopted an unusual way to draw officials’ attention to the growing stray dog problem in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, arriving at a public hearing wearing a dog mask and dressed to resemble a dog.
Security personnel initially stopped the man from entering the government office because of his unusual appearance. He was later allowed inside following the intervention of opposition leaders, where he used the protest to highlight concerns over stray dogs and dog-bite incidents in the city.
Protesters Question Spending on Sterilisation
Municipal corporation opposition leader Deepak Rathore, who participated in the protest, alleged that around 4 million Indian rupees had been spent on stray dog sterilisation over the past four years.
Despite the spending, Rathore claimed that the stray dog problem had not been resolved and that the number of dogs in the city remained a concern.
He further claimed that 13,225 dog-bite cases had been reported in Khandwa over the past four years, raising concerns among residents, particularly children, women and elderly people.
The protesters called for an investigation into the sterilisation campaign, the expenditure involved, tendering procedures and the agency responsible for carrying out the work. They questioned why the stray dog population had not declined despite the reported expenditure.
The Additional District Magistrate assured the protesters that the allegations would be investigated and said action would be taken against those found responsible if irregularities were established.
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