Rajasthan: Doctor Chains Dog To Car, Drags It Around City; Booked Amid Social Media Uproar

With a rise in the debates on animal attacks and animal cruelty, a recent case booked under the Animal Cruelty Act has been making rounds among netizens. In the video posted online, which has now gone viral, a dog was seen cruelly chained to a car and dragged along a road in Rajasthan.

The person committing the gruesome act has been identified as a renowned plastic surgeon of a Rajasthan government hospital, and he has been charged for the alleged cruelty against the stray animal. A copy of the First Investigation Report (FIR) was posted online as well, under which netizens have been expressing their outrage and demands for stricter laws for the protection of animals.

Reluctant Police Moved To Take Action Amidst Social Media Uproar

The video, which went viral, showed the stray struggling against the chains as the driver kept dragging it along the road. Several commuters who witnessed the act began filming it and stopped the vehicle to rescue the dog in time.

The dog was taken to be treated immediately and was found to have suffered a fracture on one leg and severe injuries on the other. There were also sustained bruises on the neck from being chained to the car, reported a caretaker from the non-governmental organisation (NGO) Dog Home Foundation. The dog has now been taken up by the NGO, who were also the ones who had driven momentum to the case by having posted the video and, later on, a copy of the FIR registered against the driver.

They revealed the identity of the driver as Dr Rajneesh Gwala and demanded that the authorities cancel his license with immediate action. Following this, the Principal and Controller of S N Medical College said a show cause notice had been issued to Gwala, seeking his reply within 24 hours.

The person who did this he is a Dr. Rajneesh Gwala and dog legs have multiple fracture and this incident is of Shastri Nagar Jodhpur please spread this vidro so that @CP_Jodhpur should take action against him and cancel his licence @WHO @TheJohnAbraham @Manekagandhibjp pic.twitter.com/leNVxklx1N

— Dog Home Foundation (@DHFJodhpur) September 18, 2022

As reported by The Indian Express, the caretaker was quoted as saying that the police were initially reluctant to cooperate and also delayed the treatment of the injured dog. "Police unnecessarily took the ambulance to the police station and kept it there for over an hour despite our request to release it so that the injured dog is treated. The police acted under the influence of the doctor and an FIR was lodged only after two hours," alleged the NGO.

A case has now been registered against Gwala under the Indian Penal Code's (IPC) Section 428 (mischief by killing or maiming animal) and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals act.

Twitter Outrage

Several netizens were quick to pick up on the issue and commented that the strictest action must be taken against the doctor.

This Docor needs to be https://t.co/eMLIA2B9A3 respect towards life.Shameful to the core

— H R Viswanath (@HRViswanath1) September 19, 2022

Such brazen cruelty towards a sentient being should not go unpunished. Also, more importantly, the ' doctor's ' license should be cancelled. His actions do not show him to be a normal person with compassion or consideration towards others.

— Pallavi U Dar (@DarPallavi) September 19, 2022

Hope the dog is fine ? Any idea why this incident took place ? How can one do this to ur own pet ? We consider them family members, this is sick

— Simran Bhatia (@SimranBhatia0) September 18, 2022

Many had made it a point to check on the updates on the dog's condition and ensure that he has been provided with the right medical support. Following which another post with a video of the dog after his treatment read, "Our team member is taking him in kennel without mask and he is not biting us...do you think he is aggressive?".

The doctor's act has been strongly condemned by the people who expressed that the act was least expected out of a professional who is believed to be compassionate to all living beings.

Also Read: The Horrors Of Animal Cruelty