A 35-year-old digital content creator from JP Nagar, Bengaluru, was taken into custody for allegedly driving over a stray dog with his Mahindra Thar on December 31. The incident, recorded by a nearby CCTV camera, quickly gained traction on social media, sparking public outrage. The footage shows the SUV’s front-left wheel rolling over the animal, which was resting on the road.

Manjunath Venkatesh, the accused, reportedly removed the dog’s lifeless body by placing it in a sack and discarding it afterward. While he claimed he was in a hurry to reach his office and didn’t notice the animal, the complainant argued that the act seemed deliberate, given the dog’s visibility.

The Talaghattapura police have filed a case under provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act-1960 and Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which penalize acts of harm or killing of animals. As part of the investigation, law enforcement officials have seized the vehicle involved.

This incident has prompted widespread calls for stricter enforcement of animal protection laws and raised awareness about the rights of stray animals. While investigations are ongoing, animal welfare activists emphasize the need for greater accountability to prevent such incidents in the future.