Raipur, Nov 9 (IANS): Nagaland’s policemen have won fame in Chhattisgarh for waging a highly successful war against Maoist guerrillas. But they are also accused of killing hundreds of dogs for meat.
It is an allegation that a senior officer of the Nagaland Armed Police (NAP) battalion does not accept, calling it a rumour, although he admits that his men like to “eat dogs but only healthy ones”.
Animal activists are, however, crying foul. They say that that NAP personnel’s fondness for ‘dog flesh’ has left around 2,500 dogs dead in the Bastar region, a Maoist stronghold.
The NAP battalion, comprising 850 personnel, moved to Bastar in June this year.
Terming the dog-eating habit as “intolerable”, People for Animals (PFA) has decided to launch a public campaign to save the dogs from extinction in Bastar.
“This is cruelty against dogs and definitely a crime under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. We will launch an agitation against NAP for killing dogs and eating them,” Poonamchand Jain, president of PFA in the state said.
The police department is silent over the issue because the NAP’s successes against Maoist guerrillas has won them several friends in the state, including appreciation from Home Minister Ram Vichar Netam.
A senior Chhattisgarh police official said: “I know NAP men are killing more dogs than Maoists. But they actually pay Rs 500 for a black dog and Rs 200-250 for every white and other coloured dogs they kill.”
The NAP’s deputy commandant, BZ Angami, has a different story to say.
Angami said: “The 9th NAP battalion deployed in Bastar is doing a commendable job and everyone is happy with their work. They are not killing dogs for eating. This is just a strong rumour.”
He said NAP personnel did like pork, and this was bought in Kanker district and from Orissa. “Normally we like to eat dogs but only healthy dogs, not the stray ones,” he said.
