A man in a dog suit, a peculiar protest in Madhya Pradesh Collectorate office

Behind the viral spectacle were allegations that Rs 40 lakh had been billed for dog sterilisation even as thousands of people continue to report dog bite incidents.

3 min readBhopalUpdated: Aug 19, 2026 01:46 PM IST

The man in a dog mask at the Khandwa Collectorate on Monday. (Videograb)

A man dressed as a giant dog walked into the Khandwa Collectorate in Madhya Pradesh on Monday, turning an otherwise routine public hearing into an unusually vivid protest against the city’s worsening stray dog menace.

Behind the viral spectacle were allegations that Rs 40 lakh had been billed for dog sterilisation even as thousands of people continue to report dog bite incidents. The complaint was raised during the public hearing before Khandwa officials, with protesters alleging that despite the expenditure by the municipal corporation, the stray dog population has not declined and incidents involving dogs continue to trouble residents, particularly children and pedestrians.

A man in a dog suit, a peculiar protest in Madhya Pradesh Collectorate officehttps://t.co/63qWN7chtb pic.twitter.com/El8jmX7bAD

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Khandwa Additional Collector Kashi Ram Badole said the administration had received a complaint alleging that a bill of Rs 40 lakh had been issued for dog sterilisation despite no such sterilisation having been carried out. He said the administration had taken up the matter with the Municipal Commissioner and that action would follow if the allegations were substantiated.

“Today some citizens of Khandwa came to the public hearing. They had filed a complaint that here, in the name of sterilisation of dogs, a bill of Rs 40 lakhs has been issued, and no sterilisation has been done of any kind, and till now more than 13,000 people have been bitten by dogs. In this regard, we have spoken to the Municipal Commissioner. Whatever appropriate action is required as per the rules will be taken,” Badole said.

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Khandwa Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Mullu Rathore said the number of dog bite victims cited in the complaint had reached around 13,225 and alleged that the civic body’s expenditure had failed to address the problem. He said the growing presence of stray dogs was creating difficulties for pedestrians at night and had left children fearful of travelling to school.

“Despite the municipal corporation spending lakhs, the number of dogs is not decreasing but rather increasing…. We received information from the company that won the tender that there has been fraud in it. Today, we have filed an application regarding the dog issue so that some action is taken on this and strict action is taken against those who are guilty,” Rathore said.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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