In a shocking incident that has upset animal welfare activists, several dead puppies were found inside baskets dumped in a canal near the Luxury Rajasthani Bhathiyarkhana, close to Subhash Bridge in Ahmedabad. The incident came to light on Wednesday afternoon when local residents and animal lovers saw a suspicious basket floating in the canal.
When the baskets were pulled out, they found more than 10 dead puppies inside six baskets. The Ranip police have started an investigation.
Inspector K Y Vyas of Ranip police station said, “Preliminary investigation has revealed that around 14 to 18 puppies were transported from Bikaner in a travel bus, of which more than 10 were found dead. The puppies had been kept in the luggage compartment of the bus.”
“We suspect they may have died due to suffocation and heat, but the exact cause of death will be confirmed following a post-mortem examination,” Vyas added. “At present, we are in the process of registering a formal complaint, and further investigation is underway.”
Animal welfare activists and dog lovers, who rushed to the site after hearing of the discovery, condemned the act as deliberate cruelty. Ruturaj, a dog lover said, “When we checked the area, we found clear signs that the basket containing puppies had been intentionally dumped inside the canal. This is not just neglect, it’s inhumane.”
“When activists confronted the bus driver, he was adamant about his actions and later when more people reached the spot, he fled from the spot leaving the bus behind,” said Nitin Goswami, another dog lover.
The incident has renewed calls for stricter enforcement of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and better monitoring of long-distance animal transport. Police are checking CCTV footage from the area and talking to witnesses to track the vehicle and people involved.
A case is being registered, and a detailed investigation is in progress.