A disturbing act of cruelty against a community dog in Ghaziabad has resulted in a formal police case, after animal welfare groups pushed swiftly to ensure the incident wasn’t allowed to go unpunished.
An FIR has been registered in Modinagar, Ghaziabad, after a community dog was allegedly beaten with sticks and a cricket bat before being dragged to a nearby ground and buried alive while still critically injured. The incident occurred on July 18, 2026, and reportedly involved two brothers, identified as Aman and Mukul.
What the Video and Complaint Allege
According to the FIR, the two accused allegedly beat the dog before taking him to a nearby open ground. A video of the incident, which has since surfaced, purportedly shows the two men carrying a stick and a spade, apparently preparing to dig a pit to bury the animal — while he was still alive.
The disturbing nature of the footage is what ultimately triggered the chain of intervention that led to the case being registered.
How the Case Reached the Police
The incident first came to the attention of local volunteer Vibhor Kataria and Sandeep Gupta, a member of the Ghaziabad Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA). People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals India (PETA India) subsequently stepped in, working directly with Modinagar Police Station to ensure the complaint was formally registered under the appropriate legal provisions.
The FIR has been filed under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, alongside Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960 — legal provisions specifically designed to address serious acts of cruelty toward animals.
A Direct Warning From PETA India
PETA India Cruelty Response Coordinator Ishani Rathee didn’t mince words about why cases like this demand urgent public attention. “Those who abuse animals often move on to harming other animals and humans. For everyone’s safety, it’s imperative that members of the public report cruelty to animals such as this one to the police,” she said.
Rathee also commended the swift action taken by local law enforcement, specifically praising Assistant Commissioner of Police Bhaskar Verma and Inspector Anand Mishra of Modinagar Police Station “for directing the registration of the FIR and sending a clear message that cruelty to animals will not be tolerated.”
The Legal Status of Community Dogs
Beyond the criminal case itself, the incident has renewed attention on the legal protections specifically covering community dogs in India. Under Rule 11(19) of the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023, capturing a community dog is only permitted for the purpose of sterilisation, and relocating community animals away from their home territory is explicitly illegal. The rule further requires that dogs be released back at the same location from where they were originally captured, following sterilisation.
That legal framework underscores just how far outside the bounds of acceptable treatment this particular incident fell — not only in terms of the physical cruelty inflicted, but in the complete disregard for the legal status community dogs are entitled to under Indian law.
Public Outrage Continues to Build
News of the incident has sparked widespread anger online, with animal welfare advocates and members of the public alike calling for a thorough investigation and strict legal consequences for those responsible. Many have also used the case to renew calls for stronger enforcement of existing animal cruelty laws more broadly, arguing that swift, visible police action in cases like this is essential to deterring similar acts in the future.
Why This Case Matters Beyond Ghaziabad
Cases like this one carry weight far beyond the immediate incident. They serve as a reminder of both the vulnerability community dogs face in public spaces and the critical role local volunteers, SPCA members, and organisations like PETA India play in ensuring cruelty doesn’t go unreported or unpunished.
For Ghaziabad’s Modinagar Police, the swift registration of this FIR sends a message that authorities are willing to act decisively when cruelty against animals is reported — a precedent that animal welfare advocates hope will encourage more communities to report similar incidents rather than let them pass unnoticed.
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