123 Kolkata: Two youths fatally injured a stray dog with pellets fired from an air rifle in broad daylight in the Moyna-Ardebak area under Barasat police station, sparking widespread outrage among local residents.
According to eyewitnesses, the accused youths—Sishir Roy and Sanjib Ghosh—were allegedly practising their aim using a bird-hunting air rifle and used the helpless street dog as their target. "The young, black-and-white dog, known in the area for its calm nature, was left bleeding on the road as terrified residents rushed to the scene on hearing the gunfire," said Sambhu Debnath, a local trader.
Roy and Ghosh were arrested and booked under legal sections of cruelty to Animals Act. A senior police officer from the Barasat District Police confirmed that the weapon used was an air gun capable of firing metal pellets.
"Whether the target is a human or a helpless animal—it's still a hunt," said a resident, expressing disgust at what many believe was a sadistic act carried out for pleasure.
Police sources revealed that one of the accused earlier participated in a Ram Navami rally in Barasat, where he was seen openly brandishing firearms. One weapon was confiscated at the time, but the air rifle—now believed to have been used in Thursday's incident—was not seized.
Residents claim that the house of the accused has become a hub for antisocial activities and allege that the same individuals previously fired shots at people in the locality. "On Thursday, the innocent dog wasn't as lucky," said Prasenjit Biswas, a local resident.
The sound of the shot, louder than usual, drew attention. "We stepped out and found the poor animal lying lifeless. One look told us it was dead," said another resident.
Many allege that the accused had a history of hunting birds in the neighbourhood despite repeated warnings. "That boy often shoots birds," said Sudipto Mukherjee, a local resident.