Pune: Parents booked for keeping 11-year-old boy ‘confined’ with over 20 stray dogs

Anuradha Sahasrabuddhe of Dnyan Devi Childline said, “We were told by the informer that the boy was kept confined in an apartment in Kondhwa. Local residents often saw the boy at the window of the apartment and he seemed to be mentally disturbed.

“Our social activists went to the spot. The apartment was found locked from outside. But the boy and the dogs were inside the apartment. We also found four dog carcasses there. Even animal excreta were not removed from the apartment. The teenage boy was kept in very dirty conditions.”

Sahasrabuddhe also alleged that they did not receive the desired level of cooperation from a section of the police in this matter. “The senior inspector of the Kondhwa police station had asked police personnel to break open the door and rescue the boy. But the policeman who accompanied us to the apartment was reluctant to do so. Our activist spoke with the parents of the boy when they returned and repeatedly sought help from the police to rescue the child. We were finally able to rescue him, but the police did not want to lodge a complaint in the matter. We then informed the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) about the incident. CWC officials intervened and spoke with the police. After a lot of persuasion, the FIR in this case was lodged Tuesday evening,” she said.

“The boy was kept with the dogs for almost two years. So, it impacted his behavioural development. We also got to know that his schooling was stopped as he started acting like dogs. We have, therefore, urged the police to give him proper treatment as well as counselling and follow the directions of the CWC,” she added.

Asked about the parents, Sahasrabuddhe said, “The father of the boy used to run a shop and the mother is a graduate. The parents said they love dogs. So, they kept the animals in their house.”

Senior inspector Sardar Patil said, “We may arrest the parents of the boy. He will be produced before the CWC. Further action will be taken as per the directions of the CWC.”