Nashik activists release stray dogs on official's table after complaints go unheard

A protest over stray dogs in Maharashtra took an unusual turn when a group of activists walked into a Nagar Panchayat office with the very problem they wanted the administration to fix: stray dogs.

Vikram Randhave, Yuva Sena District Chief, released the dogs inside the Niphad Nagar Panchayat office in Nashik to protest what he claimed was the administration’s failure to act against the growing stray-dog menace.

In the video circulating around social media, the stray puppies were seen stuffed into small sacks before being released on the official's table. They seemed nervous as they rushed around the table, studying their surroundings.

Randhave also made his displeasure clear in another unusual manner, placing a garland of currency notes on the table of Chief Officer Dheeraj Bhamre.

The dramatic demonstration was aimed at pointing attention to repeated complaints about stray dogs in and around Niphad town.

Protesters said that the stray-dog population had been increasing and that children, senior citizens, women and drivers were facing difficulties because of it.

They claimed several people had been bitten and that repeated complaints and representations to the administration had not led to concrete action.

Randhave also raised the issue during the ongoing Ganeshotsav celebrations, claiming that the presence of stray dogs had created an atmosphere of fear for people visiting Ganesh mandals.

He demanded immediate sterilisation drives, proper dog-catching arrangements and measures to control the stray population.

Taking aim at the civic administration, Randhave said that despite the issue being raised for days, no real action had been taken. He accused the administration of focusing on tendering processes instead of addressing civic problems.

Randhave further warned that if the administration failed to act, he would repeat the protest and once again release stray dogs inside the Chief Officer’s office in the presence of citizens.

Last month, a similar unusual protest took place in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa, where a man wearing a dog mask was brought to a public hearing to highlight alleged irregularities in the municipal corporation’s stray-dog sterilisation drive.

Khandwa Municipal Corporation Leader of Opposition Deepak “Mullu” Rathore used the demonstration to draw attention to the city’s stray-dog problem, following which officials assured him that a committee would be formed to look into the allegations and take appropriate action.

The protest turned an everyday civic complaint into a scene that was hard for the administration to ignore, quite literally bringing the stray-dog issue inside its own office.- EndsPublished By: Yashna TalwarPublished On: Sep 17, 2026 09:24 IST