A tea shop owner in Chennai has been arrested for allegedly beating a stray dog to death after it chased an elderly man near his shop. The incident occurred on Bhajan Lal Street in Mylapore on Wednesday evening.
Police said the accused, Mohan (56), who runs a tea stall in the area, reacted angrily when a stray dog attempted to bite an elderly customer. The man reportedly ran into the shop for safety. Mohan then picked up a wooden stick and repeatedly struck the dog until it died, before disposing of the body in a garbage bin.
A local resident recorded the assault on a cellphone, and the video was later circulated widely on social media, drawing strong condemnation from animal welfare groups. Activists reached the spot soon after, recovered the dog’s body from the bin, and sent it for a post-mortem examination at a veterinary hospital. They also filed a complaint with the Mylapore Police Station.
Police said Mohan was arrested based on the complaint and video evidence. He has been booked under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for killing an animal.
The viral video has sparked renewed debate over stray dog management in the state. Tamil Nadu has seen a steady rise in stray dog numbers across districts, leading to an increase in attacks on children and the elderly.
Officials noted that the state government has recently expanded sterilization programmes and rabies vaccination drives for stray dogs. Government-run primary health centres have also been directed to provide medical care for people injured in dog attacks.
(Source: ETV Bharat)
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