Telangana Horror: About 300 Stray Dogs Allegedly Killed In A Month, Sarpanch Booked For Secretly Burying Them

Police in Telangana's Jagtial district have launched an investigation after around 300 stray dog carcasses were found dumped in a pit near Pegadapally village, about 200 kilometres from Hyderabad.

The shocking discovery has once again raised serious concerns about the safety of stray animals in the state.

The incident reportedly took place on Thursday and is alleged to have been carried out on the instructions of the village sarpanch. It is the latest in a series of similar cases reported across Telangana in recent weeks.

FIR Registered, Sarpanch Named as Accused

Following a complaint filed by Preethi Mudavath of the Stray Animal Foundation of India, police registered a First Information Report (FIR) against the village sarpanch, the gram panchayat secretary, and others involved. Preethi visited the site on Friday and alerted authorities after seeing the carcasses.

According to police, the accused have been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960, for killing and poisoning animals. A police official from Pegadapally confirmed that a detailed probe is underway.

Villagers Allege Dogs Were Killed Using Injections

As per information shared by activists, villagers claimed that two women were involved in administering lethal injections to the stray dogs. After the dogs died, gram panchayat workers allegedly transported the bodies in tractors and buried them in a pit located around two kilometres away from the village.

Animal rights groups have strongly condemned the act, calling it cruel and illegal. They have demanded strict action against those responsible and better enforcement of animal protection laws.

Pattern of Similar Incidents Across Telangana

The Jagtial case is not an isolated incident. Animal welfare activists say that nearly 900 stray dogs have been found dead across Telangana this month alone. Similar mass killings have been reported from districts such as Kamareddy, Hanumakonda, and Ranga Reddy.

Reports suggest that around 300 dogs were killed in Hanumakonda, about 200 in Kamareddy, 100 in Ranga Reddy, and earlier incidents involving around 30 dogs were also reported in parts of Jagtial. In Kamareddy district alone, six newly elected sarpanches have reportedly been booked for ordering the killing of stray dogs, allegedly to fulfil pre-election promises.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing in all cases, while animal rights activists continue to urge the government to adopt humane and lawful methods for managing stray animal populations.