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Dog-killer ‘Gnana Uncle’ faces arrest if police firm up cruelty charge
A man who allegedly tortured and killed dogs to prevent them entering a poultry farm in Kobeigane, in the Kurunegala district, faces possible arrest after a video of a dog being shot repeatedly with an air-gun went viral on social media.
The video that went viral on social media
A villager who recorded the video said he had witnessed several such incidents at the farm and the farm watchman, named yesterday A.M. Gnanasena, killed any animal that entered the premises.
He had seen the first such incident several months ago. He alleged the watchman, locally known as “Gnana Uncle”, killed dogs by calling them inside the large-scale poutry farm.
The villager said “Gnana Uncle” was ruthless in killing animals and he had seen him killing dogs, cats and rats with an air-gun.
He said the incident he had recorded had occurred on December 19, when the watchman had coaxed a playful dog into an empty chicken cage.
The video, leaked to social media last Sunday, shows the watchman using an air-gun to shoot the dog twice from outside the cage and the dog attempting to flee from the cage.
Afterwards, the watchman enters the cage and shoots the dog again repeatedly while it howls in pain. He is seen beating the dog with the rifle.
Villagers said the dog suffered for more than an hour in the chicken cage before it succumbed to its injuries.
The villagers said such sights occurred regularly as the owner of the farm had ordered the watchman to kill any animal from entering the farm and upsetting the caged chickens.
According to the villagers, the owner pays the watchman Rs. 500 for each dog killed. There were differential payments for other animals killed.
A villager quoted a farm employee saying freshly killed dogs were put into a fire pit on the farm or are buried.
There are allegations that the watcher killed other animals found in the woodland near the farm.
The villagers are said to have faced threats after the video went viral on social media.
The Officer-in-Charge of Kobeigane Police at Nikaweratiya, Inspector J.M. Bandara Jayatilake, said the recorded incident is being investigated.
He said police are trying to find out how many dogs and other animals had been killed by the watchman and are awaiting advice from the police legal division on whether the man could be arrested under the archaic 1907 Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance or through another law. The matter had been reported to the Nikaweratiya Magistrates Court on Thursday, January 16.
Inspector Jayatilaka said statements had been taken from the villager who recorded the video, the watchman and other employees of the farm.
He said the farm employees had said the watchman had shot and killed a rabid dog that had bitten other dogs and had got into a chicken cage.
Animal rights activists claim police are moving slowly on making an arrest because the poultry farm belongs to an influential local businessman M.J. Jayatillake who has political backing.
The police rejected this, saying they were taking time to see if Mr. Gnanasena could be prosecuted under a law that carries a higher penalty. Under the 1907 Ordinance the penalty for animal cruelty is a fine of Rs. 100 or a possible three-month jail sentence.
The report submitted to Nikaweratiya courts shows police are seeking advice on whether to prosecute Mr. Gnanasena under the 1907 law or under Clause 412 of the Penal Code, which states: “Whoever commits mischief by killing, poisoning, maiming, or rendering useless, any elephant, camel, horse, ass, mule, buffalo, bull, cow, or ox, whatever may be the value thereof, or any other animal of the value of fifty rupees or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, or with fine, or with both”.
Police spokesman Superintendent Jaliya Senaratne said an arrest would take place but only after investigation.
The poultry farm in Kobeigana. Pic by Priyani Mangalika
“One party is saying that the dog in the video is rabid and others say that the dog has been cruelly killed. The police cannot make an arrest just according to what is seen on the video: we need to investigate before arresting the suspect,” he said.
Animal welfare activist Manoja Weerakkody said police should investigate beyond the incident in the video to ascertain whether there were more dogs and other animals killed by the watchman.
She pointed out that although the watchman claimed he had been killing a rabid dog, the police and municipal veterinary surgeons were the authorities responsible for handling such a situation. The dog’s aspect and behaviour in the video did not suggest it had rabies, Ms. Weerakkody added, making such a claim questionable.
Whatever the truth of the matter, Ms. Weerakkody emphasised, the watchman had used unnecessary cruelty in killing the dog. “An air rifle only inflicts injuries on the dog and does not kill it in an instant. The watcher repeatedly shoots it and beats it, making the animal suffer more,” she said.