The killing, allegedly by poisoning, of more than 300 stray dogs by a village panchayat in Andhra Pradesh's West Godavari district has sent local animal rights activists into a fury. The gruesome incident first came to light on July 29 when animal rights activist Sri Latha Challapalli received a tip-off. She went to the village and was shocked to find the decomposed carcasses of the dogs in a shallow pit on its outskirts.

"The killings took place on July 24 and I got information on July 29. I went to the village and saw the decomposed bodies buried in a pit near the pond. Initially, the local police were not willing to file a case under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act," she said. According to Sri Latha, the village panchayat officials had roped in members of a local dog-catcher community, to kill the animals. "The dogs could have easily been sterilised instead of murdering them," she contends.