Residents begin signature campaign over pup's death

Residents of HSR Layout have started a signature campaign, asking the police to arrest the four security guards who thrashed and killed a five-month-old puppy.

In a campaign on petition website Change.org, they have written to Union minister Maneka Gandhi and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) on how the men killed the puppy at the Purva Fairmont apartment in HSR Layout.

The police filed an FIR against the guards Amar, Rakesh, Manju and Sabji for tossing the dog into a gunny bag and thrashing it until it died.

The incident happened on July 1, when the animal bounded into the apartment to find shelter from the rain. CCTV cameras in the apartment captured the brutality.

The petition already received more than 700 signatures, asking the police to arrest the culprits and punish them severely to discourage such crimes.

"The police should be pressured to take action immediately," the petition urged. "Make the CCTV footage available to the complainant to ensure the footage (evidence) is not tampered with."

The petition stated that the guards have the backing of a few people from the apartment association, who have even sought the service of a lawyer in their defence. It also wondered why the culprits are not arrested, despite proof of their crime.