Srinagar, Apr 20: Police top brass Wednesday dispelled the notion given by the some media agencies that elimination of stray dogs in Srinagar would facilitate rise in militancy.
 “There’s no relation between dog population and militancy. These are altogether separate issues,” the Deputy Inspector General of Police central Kashmir range, Abdul Gani Mir said while replying to media queries at a news conference.
 Interestingly, the DIG upheld the general opinion that the stray dog population in the City has assumed alarming proportions with over one lakh and growing dogs on prowl in the summer Capital.
 “Dog menace is a big issue and it’s for the civic bodies like the Srinagar Municipal Corporation to get rid of the problem,” Mir said.
 He also clarified that police would have no hesitations in which ever way the SMC gets rid of the menace.
 Infact, the top cop said, the police was willing to provide any assistance if at all needed by the civic body.
 “We are ready to help them in what ever way they want us to because everyone is facing inconvenience because of the dogs,” the DIG told Greater Kashmir on sidelines of the news conference at Safa Kadal police station.
 “The problem is the same for all… There are so many stray packs outside my house as well and one finds it inconvenient to move out,” the official quipped with a smile on his face.
 Pertinently, for the past few months, some “dog lovers” including media organizations have been speaking their heart in favor of the City stray dogs even though three people including a 10- year-old boy recently died of dog attacks in Kashmir.
 They have been supporting the presence of more and more dogs saying any reduction in the canine population would be detrimental for “peace and prosperity of the state.”
 Just last month, following an alleged propaganda by “dog lovers” that some stray pack had been poisoned in Srinagar, a New Delhi based news agency said “mass killing of dogs was taking place.”
 Even though there was no confirmation of any dog killing, the newspaper said “mass killing of stray dogs in Srinagar merits a serious probe.”
 “Law enforcing authorities everywhere have acknowledged the important role played by stray dogs. As Director-General of Police, Andhra Pradesh, Mr Swaranjit Sen had advised police stations to adopt stray dogs for being alerted against approaching Maoists,” a news report said.
 “Not surprisingly, Maoists in West Bengal had asked villagers to kill all village dogs. Even earlier, terrorists coming across the Line of Control had asked villagers close to it to kill their dogs; so had terrorists in Punjab,” it added.
 A news report even linked the last month’s Foreshore Road shootout with the dog population.
 “The point in mentioning all this is the recent report in several newspapers of Sajjad Afghani, an important leader of Jaish-e-Mohammad, being killed along with this bodyguard, Omar Bilal, by the Jammu & Kashmir Police in an encounter on March 10. The reports quoted Mr RM Sahai, Inspector-General of Police, Kashmir, as saying that they were trying to set up a base in Srinagar “to carry out big strikes in the future on security force installations”.
 “Was the killing of stray dogs meant to facilitate the strikes?,” the news report had argued.
 “The matter needs to be investigated because of the State Government’s shocking delay in entering into a partnership with the Animal Welfare Board of India in implementing the canine Animal Birth Control programme, the only effective means of controlling stray dog populations,” the report added.
 Ironically, the National Conference led coalition government has been supporting the alarming dog population in Srinagar saying that the canines can’t be killed under any circumstances.
 The government favors Rs multi-crore dog sterilization program as the sole solution to the dog menace.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 20 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 21 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST