Delhi: Canine lovers attack MCD staff; one held, search on to nab other accused

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) A 34-year-old man was apprehended for allegedly assaulting a Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) team and forcibly releasing stray dogs captured by them in Delhi's Rohini area, an official said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Bhavik Wassan, a resident of Sector-3, Rohini, was traced through CCTV footage and picked up during the probe into the assault, the police said.

According to the FIR lodged at the K N Katju Marg Police Station, the incident occurred on Monday morning when a veterinary department team of the MCD went to attend a complaint about a stray dog at the Sarvodaya Vidyalaya in Sector 16, Rohini.

The team, comprising driver Om Prakash and staff members Ratan, Deepak, Pushpendra and Anil, caught a dog and then proceeded to Sector 3, where another stray was captured.

At that point, a group of dog lovers confronted the MCD staff and allegedly misbehaved with them. "The group physically assaulted the staff and forcibly released the captured dogs inside the school premises in Sector 16," the FIR said.

The accused also allegedly attacked the vehicle, damaged the dog-catching net, log book and ignition key, and took away the tools kept inside the MCD van, officials said.

Following the incident, a complaint was filed by veterinary officer Ravish Kasana, based on which an FIR was registered.

During the investigation, the CCTV footage of the incident was collected and analysed.

"One suspect was identified as Bhavik Wassan. During interrogation, he disclosed that he used to feed four stray dogs outside his shop in Sector-3. He also created a social media group called the 'Rohini Dog Lovers'. On the day of the incident, he informed other group members about the MCD team's arrival and shared the location, after which they gathered at the spot and released the dog," an officer said.

Additionally, two women seen in the footage have been identified as residents of Rohini, and teams have been dispatched to trace them. Efforts are on to identify and nab the remaining suspects, the officer added.

"These people violated rules by interrupting government work, abusing our staff and tampering with the vehicle. We have asked the police to take strict action," an MCD official said. PTI BM NSM MPL MPL