A scuffle broke out outside the Supreme Court between lawyers and dog lovers following the court’s directive to relocate stray dogs from neighbourhoods to designated shelters.
In a viral video from August 11, a lawyer is seen grabbing a civilian and striking him twice before onlookers stepped in to separate the two. The clip also captures voices in the background shouting and hurling abuses at the lawyers.
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The confrontation occurred on the same day the Supreme Court ordered civic bodies in Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Gurugram to set up shelters for stray dogs and shift them from residential areas. The court instructed that these facilities should be equipped with trained handlers, sterilisation and vaccination services, and CCTV systems to prevent escapes.
“We are not doing this for ourselves; it is in the public interest. No personal sentiments should interfere. Action should be taken without delay,” Justice Pardiwala remarked during the hearing. Addressing amicus curiae Gaurav Agarwala, he said, “Pick up dogs from all areas and move them to shelters. For now, set aside the rules.”
The ruling comes amid a surge in dog bite incidents in Delhi, some leading to rabies fatalities. However, the decision drew sharp criticism from animal welfare advocates. Former Union minister and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi called the directive “impractical”, “financially unviable” and “harmful” to the ecological balance.
“There are three lakh dogs in Delhi. To remove them from the streets, you would need 3,000 enclosures with drainage, water supply, a shed, a kitchen, and security. That would cost around Rs 15,000 crore. Does Delhi have Rs 15,000 crore for this?” she told news agency PTI.
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In response to public backlash, Chief Justice of India BR Gavai on Wednesday said the court would reconsider the ban on stray dogs.
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