Srinagar, Dec 21: Srinagar Municipal Corporation has suspended a Sanitary Inspector after a video showing the relocation of a mother dog and her puppies in Hyderpora went viral and sparked widespread criticism. The incident unfolded in Shah Anwar Colony, where inhabitants said they had repeatedly requested the relocation of more than five puppies along with their mother, arguing that children in the neighbourhood were feeling unsafe.
According to insiders in the civic body, the Sanitary Inspector from Ward 32, identified as Firoz Ahmed Bhat, initially avoided taking any action but later proceeded with the relocation following what they described as sustained pressure from locals. The animals were shifted using a hooper vehicle and a net. During the process, some individuals filmed the relocation and uploaded the clips online, captioning them in a manner that suggested the puppies were being forcibly separated from their mother.
The video quickly circulated across social media platforms and prompted immediate reaction from the SMC leadership, which suspended the officer pending further review.
Several inhabitants of Shah Anwar Colony have now come forward defending the suspended official. They told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that the officer acted only after consistent appeals from the neighbourhood and that the online posts wrongly portrayed the situation. One inhabitant said the footage misrepresented the intent behind the relocation and accused those who filmed it of trying to malign the officer.
The colony inhabitants have urged the SMC administration to reconsider the suspension order, insisting that the Sanitary Inspector’s actions were driven by local concerns rather than personal initiative. [KNT]