'Our Responsibility Is To Be Kind To Animals': Delhi Court Sentences Man To One Year In Jail For Throwing Acid At Dog

A Delhi Court has recently sentenced a man to one year of simple imprisonment for throwing acid on a dog resulting in the loss of one eye in 2020.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Richa Sharma had convicted the man for the offences under Section 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle, etc.) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and Section 11 (1) (treating animals with cruelty) The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

The court awarded one year of simple imprisonment to the man for the offence under Section 429 of IPC along with a fine of Rs. 10,000. A fine of Rs. 50 was also imposed on him for the other offence.

However, the court admitted the man to bail for one month in order to enable him to prefer an appeal against the conviction and sentence. The man was on bail during the trial.

“Life is as dear to a mute creature, as it is to any human. A human being is expected to remember that his action towards animals, reflects humanity. It is our responsibility to be compassionate and kind to animals,” the court said.

The case was registered by the owner of the dog. It was her case that she had seen the convict throwing acid on the eye, face and other body parts of her dog. She alleged that when she was giving a bath to the dog, the convict started abusing her and threatened to kill the dog.

Convicting the man in the case, the court observed that the prosecution established his identity beyond all reasonable doubt and further proved that he caused injury to the dog.

“Hence, in view of the cogent, specific, untainted as well as convincing testimony of the injured read conjointly with the testimony of other prosecution witnesses as well as on the basis of medical documents on record, there is no reason to disbelieve the truthfulness of the version of prosecution witnesses,” the court said.

It added: “The act of throwing some corrosive/burning substance, which resulted in the loss of one eye of the dog is serious and grave. Letting off such person with less punishment and granting any leniency to the convict, will convey adverse message to the society.”

APP Arvind Kumar Shukla appeared for the State; Advocate Rhythm Sheel Srivastava appeared for the complainant.