Kathmandu, September 17
Police say they are searching for a woman who forcibly pushed a helpless dog into the Seti River. Widespread public outrage followed after a video of the incident went viral on social media, with many calling for her arrest.
The woman has not yet been located, according to police. Deepak Bista, information officer at the District Police Office, Bajhang, said police received information about the incident and have begun searching for those involved.
He said the incident appears to have taken place on the Pankot Bridge over the Seti River, between wards 10 and 11 of Jayaprithvi Municipality. Bista said police have received the report and launched an investigation, and are now working to establish the identity of the person seen in the video and verify what actually happened.
Police say they are gathering further details about the location and those involved based on the video footage.
“Such incidents can be reported to police”
Senior advocate Padam Bahadur Shrestha says that expressing outrage on social media alone isn’t enough when animal cruelty is witnessed, such incidents can and should be reported to the relevant authorities.
He said anyone who witnesses abuse against dog or other animal can file a complaint at a police office. If police decline to register it, a complaint can also be filed with the District Administration Office or the District Government Attorney’s Office.
In this case too, the video’s spread on social media has given police an initial basis to investigate. What remains to be established is who the woman in the video is, why the dog was thrown from the bridge, and what became of the dog afterward.
What penalty applies for cruelty to animals?
Following the video, there have been social media calls for action against the woman. However, Shrestha noted that police need to establish the facts through investigation rather than reaching conclusions based on the video alone.
Before 2017, there was no specific law on this matter, but since the Muluki Criminal Code came into effect that year, such acts are treated as a criminal offence, punishable by up to three months in jail, a fine of Rs 5,000, or both, according to Shrestha.
