They gave priority to rescue trapped dog than office work

Srinagar, Dec 26 (UNI) A few weeks ago, a bear was burnt alive by an irate mob of 4000 people in Tral area of Pulwama district, but today Kashmiris displayed care and compassion towards animals when they freed a dog trapped in an iron fence after several hours of rescue operation.

A group of people noticed a dog trapped in an iron fence at the posh Polo View market here this morning. The dog was repeatedly trying to come out of the fence, but failing in every attempt.

A large number of people, mostly shopkeepers and office goers, gathered at the spot and everybody tried in his own way to rescue the animal.

As the efforts to rescue the dog failed, iron cutters were summoned for the task.

The iron grill was finally cut after several hours of hard labour and the dog came out of the fence, much to the relief of the people.

The entire gathering burst into joy and greeted the rescuers with clapping.

''We have never shown cruelty towards animals. The Tral incident was an isolated one. Everybody in Kashmir condemned the burning of the bear. The incident too happened as the wild animals had in the recent past made the life of the villagers very difficult,'' said Fayaz Ahmed Sheikh who was among the rescuers.

''This should serve as an eye-opener for Maneka Gandhi. We are not cruel towards animals. She should not have made such statements against the people of Kashmir after the bear burning incident at Tral on November 18. One should never generalise,'' said Mohammad Ashraf Ganai, also one of the rescuers.

Ms Gandhi, a former Union Minister and a known animal rights activist, had reportedly stated that people of Kashmir were hunting wild animals for meat, causing significant decline in the population of bears and leopards.

State Forests and Wildlife Minister Qazi Mohammad Afzal had taken strong objection to her statement. ''The people in Kashmir do eat meat but not of leopards and bears. They eat meat of sheep and goat.

She has hurt the religious sentiments of the people. We have lot of regard for her concern to protect the wildlife, but she should desist from making such statements,'' he said.

Mr Afzal said the population of wild animals, including bears and leopards, had witnessed a sharp increase during the past 15 years with the result that these animals often strayed into villages and attacked the people.

The state government has already ordered a probe into the burning and killing of wild bear at Tral on November 18. Several people have been arrested and four officials of the wildlife department attached in connection with the incident.

UNI AG QAB RR VV1740