Supreme Court Orders FIR Against India Gate Protestors Over Stray Dog Removal

Following a protest held at India Gate on Monday night against the Supreme Court's order to remove all stray dogs from the Delhi NCR region, Delhi Police have now filed an FIR against the protestors.

Large-scale protests erupted in Delhi on Monday against a Supreme Court order concerning stray dogs. A significant number of people gathered at India Gate to oppose the court's decision. Consequently, Delhi Police filed an FIR against these protestors on Tuesday. The First Information Report was registered under Section 223 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalises the willful disobedience of a legally issued order by a public servant.

Order to Remove Stray Dogs from Delhi NCR

Taking suo moto cognizance of dog bite incidents, the Supreme Court ordered the Delhi government to capture all stray dogs in Delhi and the NCR region within eight weeks and place them in government-established shelters. The court also clarified that the captured dogs would not be released back onto the streets under any circumstances. Following this order, a large number of animal rights activists, rescue teams, and dog lovers gathered at India Gate on Monday night to protest, leading to police intervention and the subsequent FIR.

Police Officer Provides Information

A senior police officer stated that the FIR was registered based on violations of law and order. The officer explained that protestors were repeatedly asked not to gather at India Gate, but they continued their demonstration. When police attempted to disperse the crowd, protestors resisted, engaged in physical altercations with officers, and even pushed female constables. Despite repeated warnings, they refused to leave the area.

Opposition to the Decision Spreads from Politics to Bollywood

Since the order was issued, there has been significant opposition on social media. Several opposition leaders, including Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, have condemned the court's decision. Rahul Gandhi criticised the decision in a post on X, while TMC MP Saket Gokhale wrote to the Chief Justice of India. In addition to politicians, film stars such as Janhvi Kapoor, Varun Dhawan, and Vir Das have also condemned the court's decision on social media, describing it as a death sentence for all dogs.