A shocking incident of animal cruelty unfolded near the popular tourist spot of Nandi Hills in Chikkaballapur, where a staff member of a private polytechnic abandoned 15 helpless puppies on the roadside. The incident, which occurred on Sunday, saw the young pups, aged between 20 and 25 days from three different litters, left to fend for themselves.
Video Evidence Leads to Rescue Operation
The act was captured on video by a vigilant commuter traveling towards Nandi Hills. The footage clearly showed a security guard from BGS Polytechnic unloading the puppies from a van belonging to the institution and leaving them by the road. The frightened puppies were even seen walking towards the moving car from which the video was being recorded, highlighting their confusion and vulnerability.
Following the video evidence, a rescue team from Bengaluru, led by Vikash Bafna of the Friend for Animals Trust, swung into action on Monday. They located the puppies and returned them to their original location on the polytechnic campus. However, the rescue was far from easy.
A Grueling Three-Hour Rescue Mission
The rescue team faced significant challenges in retrieving the scared animals. The puppies had scattered into the thick bushes of Nandi Hills and had climbed high rocks along the roadside in fear of the moving vehicles. "Along with my team of two rescuers, it took me over three hours to rescue the pups," revealed Vikash Bafna, underscoring the difficulty of the operation.
Tragically, only 14 of the 15 puppies were successfully recovered. One puppy was grievously injured after being run over by a vehicle just minutes after being dumped from the college van. The injured pup is currently undergoing treatment. The rescue team continued their search for the one missing puppy on Tuesday.
Apology and Assurance from the Institution
Confronted with the evidence, the staffer admitted to abandoning the puppies. In a written letter bearing the institution's official seal and written in Kannada, he explained that the puppies were relocated because they were at risk of being run over by vehicles on the campus itself. The letter contained an apology and a promise: "We gave in writing that we will not repeat this. We will now take care of the puppies."
Given this written assurance and the staffer's apology, animal welfare activists decided not to involve the police immediately. Priyam Chhetri of the Bangalore Movement for Strays stated that the rescue team decided to give the institution a chance after they took the puppies back. "In case they attempt this again, we will involve law enforcement," she warned, making the stance of the animal rights groups clear.
The incident has sparked concern among animal lovers and highlights the ongoing issue of irresponsible abandonment of pets and strays, especially near ecologically sensitive areas like Nandi Hills.
