1. The Horror: Death by Injection

In places like Jagtial, Kamareddy, and Hanamkonda, the scenes are the same. Witnesses and activists from the Stray Animal Foundation of India (SAFI) have found pits filled with dead animals.

The Method: Investigations suggest the use of strychnine, a banned neurotoxin that causes painful convulsions and respiratory failure. Dogs are being injected in broad daylight or fed poisoned food.

The Scale: From 300 dogs in Pegadapally to 200 in Pathipaka, the death toll is rising. Activists estimate the number has gone past 1,200, with many more likely hidden in remote areas.

2. The Motive: Promise to Voters

The most troubling part of the Telangana killings is their origin. Activists connect the killings directly to the Gram Panchayat elections held in December 2025.

The Campaign: Candidates allegedly promised voters they would "eliminate the stray dog problem" once they were elected.

The Execution: After taking office, several Sarpanchs (village heads) and Panchayat Secretaries reportedly hired professional killers to carry out these promises, completely ignoring the law.

3. The Legal Failure:

Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the ABC Rules, 2023, culling is strictly illegal. However, the widespread nature of these killings shows a complete failure of local governance.

Police Action: FIRs have been filed against multiple Sarpanchs and secretaries under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The Apathy: Despite petitions to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, activists say the district administrations remain largely indifferent, allowing the killings to continue.

This isn't just about numbers; it’s about the brutal treatment of community spaces.

The Caregivers: Local feeders who spent years vaccinating and bonding with these community dogs returned to find their neighborhoods empty and their companions dumped in pits.

The Moral Cost: As one activist pointed out, ‘Killing animals to show action doesn't make a village safer; it undermines the very fabric of our society."