New Delhi, Jan 28 (PTI) A ‘terhvi’ (13th day prayer ceremony) was held by animal welfare activists and environmentalists here to mourn the killing of community dogs in a recent mass killing incident in Telangana and to demand accountability and justice.
The ceremony was held at the India International Centre on January 27, according to an official statement.
The prayer meet was attended by animal welfare activists, environmentalists, caregivers, legal experts and concerned citizens.
Several incidents of mass killings of stray dog were reported from districts in Telangana in January and December last year taking the toll to 1,200. The killings are suspected to have been carried out allegedly to fulfill promises made to villagers ahead of gram panchayat elections held in December 2025, to address the stray dog menace.
The Telangana incident has sent shockwaves across the country, highlighting the rising instances of organised violence against community animals and the failure to effectively implement existing animal protection laws, the statement said.
The ‘terhvi’ was described as both a space for remembrance and a civic call to recognise community animals as an essential part of society whose lives matter, it added.
Participants at the event observed silence, lit candles and offered prayers, while reaffirming the need for strict enforcement of animal protection laws, humane dog population management and accountability of authorities involved.
“What happened in Telangana is not an isolated act of cruelty, it is the result of institutional apathy and a dangerous normalisation of violence against animals. This terhvi is a powerful reminder that these dogs were living beings, protected by law, and their deaths demand justice,” animal and environmental rights activist Ajay Joe said.
Environmental activist Tannuja Chauhan noted that such incidents have wider ethical and ecological implications.
“Community animals are part of our ecological and social fabric. When we allow mass killings to happen with impunity, we are not just failing animals, we are eroding our ethical and environmental foundations as a society,” she said. PTI SGV MPL MPL
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