KOLKATA: A
dog lover who looks after 12 streetdogs in her Nawpara house in
Barasat has submitted an appeal to the district magistrate, expressing her desire to take her life “in the face of torture by neighbours”.
Indrani Bhowmik (45) has alleged that her
neighbours have been torturing by pouring water on her and her dogs. “Whenever I see water being poured on my dogs, I rush to rescue them.
Neighbours then pour water on me as well,” alleged Indrani, an ICDS worker.
The situation took a turn for the worse on January 7 after one of the dogs bit a child in the neighbourhood. A group of 20-50 locals thronged her house and made sure she paid Rs 4,000 for the child’s treatment. “I even complained to police but they did not take any action. My neighbours gave me an ultimatum to drive the dogs out by January 31. They threatened that if I do not yield, they will drive me out of my house. I have submitted a written statement to the North
24 Parganas DM, expressing my desire to exercise my right to die,” said Bhowmik.
DM North 24 Parganas Chaitali Chakraborty told TOI: “I am yet to go through the appeal. It is better that she seeks police help once again. Why should she take her life?” Barasat Municipality vice-chairman Ashani Mukherjee condemned the alleged torture, saying: “We will provide legal assistance to her.”
A neighbour said, “Panic gripped locals after one of her dogs bit a child. Barking by the dogs also affects the health of elderly people.”