Mumbai: Animal activists raise alarm after 40 stray dogs mysteriously go missing from NESCO Centre; demand police action | Representational Image
Mumbai: The NESCO Exhibition Centre in Goregaon (E) is again facing heat from animal activists who have alleged that around 40 stray dogs living inside the premises of the exhibition centre have mysteriously gone missing. The activists have demanded the police register an offence against NESCO authorities for forcefully relocating the strays.
Less than a year ago, NESCO Centre was engulfed in controversy after 26 dogs died of starvation after the animal feeders were allegedly stopped from feeding the strays inside the premises. Following the incident which created a huge uproar among animal lovers, the employees were booked by Vanrai police.
The activists had also been demanding the civic authority to ensure that feeding zones are designated inside the centre, which was fulfilled on April 17, which was also reported by The Free Press Journal.
However, animal activists have again turned on the heat against NESCO Centre alleging that around 40 stray dogs have gone missing from the premises. In a complaint written to the Mumbai Police Commissioner, Pure Animal Lovers (PAL) Foundation has claimed that around 150 dogs used to live on the premises till April 18, out of which, 40 have mysteriously went missing, hinting at illegal relocation.
“Community dogs never leave their territory and in this case, they have mysteriously gone missing from NESCO Centre just before the designated feeding spots were allocated. The circumstantial events are such that it is strongly suspected that the mysterious disappearance of these community dogs was a premeditated collective conspiracy and an intentionally controlled relocation of the community dogs from their well-settled territory,” read the letter.
The activists had written to the senior police inspector of Vanrai police station on April 23 demanding to register an offence against NESCO authorities for relocating the dogs. However, after the police did not cooperate with them, a letter was written to the police commissioner and the Animal Welfare Board of India, seeking their intervention.
Roshan Pathak, animal rights advisor with PAL Foundation, said, “It can be construed that, despite designated feeding spots, the mysterious disappearance of the community dogs is a hindrance in their care and feeding. Relocation of community dogs will cause unnecessary pain and suffering to the animals, which by itself is in contravention of the animal welfare laws.”
