After crushing five puppies, Thar driver ordered to feed strays for a month

A Thar driver who allegedly ran over and killed five puppies in Panipat’s Kaptan Nagar was given an unusual punishment on Sunday: he must serve food to stray dogs for one month, work at a gaushala for another month, and take special care of the puppies’ mother.

The act, which occurred on Saturday, was captured on CCTV cameras installed near the spot.

In their complaint to the Quilla police, Kunal Kapoor and Sagar of the Nai Pehal Welfare Society said the driver entered the street in his Thar and tried to cross a parked car. The five puppies sitting on the roadside were crushed under the vehicle. Residents nearby shouted to stop him, but “he didn’t stop,” the complainants said.

Acting on the complaint, police summoned the driver. Today, scores of residents had assembled at the police station and held a panchayat.

The driver apologised in writing, stating that he was deeply pained by what had happened. “He deeply regrets this incident and is ashamed of his action,” the police said. The man claimed it was unintentional as “he couldn’t see the puppies on the roadside.”

Given his remorse, the panchayat decided on a reformative punishment. “The people in the panchayat asked him to serve food to the dogs in the street for one month and also to serve fodder in the gaushala for one month,” said Sagar, a complainant and member of the Nai Pehal Foundation. “The matter has been resolved amicably,” he added.

Inspector Neeraj confirmed that while a complaint had been received, the complainants declined to file an FIR. “Both groups were gathered in the police station today, and they resolved the matter amicably,” the SHO said.