‘Killed 2,800 dogs, buried them under trees: The row over Karnataka politician's shocking remarks

First Post

2 days ago

SL Bhojegowda, a JD(S) member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, has sparked a row after admitting that he oversaw the killing of 2,800 dogs and buried them under trees while heading the Chikkamagaluru municipal council. His remarks come days after the Supreme Court directed the removal of all stray dogs from neighbourhoods in Delhi-NCR, which has angered many animal rights activists
Bhojegowda's remarks come days after the Supreme Court ordered the removal of all stray dogs from neighbourhoods in Delhi-NCR. PTI/File Photo
A controversy has erupted over comments by SL Bhojegowda, JD(S) member of the Karnataka Legislative Council, who said he had supervised the killing of 2,800 dogs while heading the Chikkamagaluru municipal council.
He said on Wednesday that he was willing to go to jail if it meant protecting children from stray dogs.
ALSO READ | 'When Paris removed stray dogs': What happened in the French capital in the 1880s?
Bhojegowda's remarks come just days after the Supreme Court of India ordered the removal of all stray dogs from neighbourhoods in Delhi NCR.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
So, what exactly did he say, and what is the entire controversy?
Let's take a look:
The row over JD(S) lawmaker's remarks
SL Bhojegowda has sparked a major controversy after saying he had poisoned at least 2,800 dogs to tackle the problem of strays on the streets.
Speaking in the Legislative Council, the Janata Dal (Secular) leader said that a 'petition be filed in the Supreme Court… let Karnataka be the first in India to ask the Supreme Court to act against dogs".
He claimed that while serving as chairperson of the Chikkamagaluru municipal council, he had killed 2,800 dogs and buried them under trees to act as natural compost.
'During my tenure as the chairperson of the City Municipality Council, we killed 2,800 dogs and buried them under trees to serve as natural compost," Bhojegowda said during a discussion. He said the animals were fed poisoned meat.
Bengaluru, Karnataka: JD(S) Karnataka Legislative Council member S.L. Bhojegowda says, "Please file a petition in the Supreme Court. The Karnataka government has filed a petition against this decision; this will go down in history. Only we know the suffering children go through.… pic.twitter.com/6k38QjVCm1 — IANS (@ians_india) August 13, 2025
Bhojegowda argued that the stray dog problem mostly affects children from poor families.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
'Children of judges, ministers and legislators, who travel by cars and other vehicles, may not be affected. But children from poor families, who walk to school, face the danger of being attacked by stray dogs. The menace is prevalent even in Bengaluru's Cubbon Park," he said.
The matter was raised in the Karnataka assembly after two college students in Bengaluru were attacked. The MSc students from Bengaluru's Ambedkar School of Economics University were hospitalised.
His statement has drawn strong criticism from animal rights groups and the public.
Responding to Bhojegowda's question, the Karnataka government referred to petitions and animal lovers. After this, MLCs suggested that 10 dogs should be sent to live in every animal lover's home.
'We are witnessing dog bite cases daily, and victims are being hospitalised. If someone opposesthe removal of stray dogs from the streets, let the government leave a few dogs in their compounds to make them understand the reality,' Bhojegowda said. 'What will they do if a stray bites their children?' he added.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
His comments come as the Supreme Court has directed civic bodies in Delhi and the National Capital Region to immediately catch, sterilise, and permanently relocate stray dogs to shelters, warning of strict action against anyone obstructing the work.
The top court instructed officials to ensure that all dogs are taken off the streets 'at the earliest'. PTI/File Photo
Supreme Court's 'remove strays' order
While hearing a suo motu case on the rise in dog-bite incidents in the national capital region, the Supreme Court on Monday issued strict directions to the Delhi civic body to capture stray dogs, sterilise them, and move them permanently to shelters.
The court said the order must be enforced without delay to make New Delhi and the surrounding NCR safe.
ALSO READ | With nearly 10 lakh stray dogs, how will Delhi implement the Supreme Court order?
Describing the stray dog problem as 'extremely grim', the court instructed officials to ensure that all dogs are taken off the streets 'at the earliest' and warned that anyone blocking the drive would face strict action.
The order has faced backlash from animal rights activists and many pet lovers, who argue that there are not enough shelters to house the animals. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said, 'displacement and jailing of dogs is not scientific and has never worked.'
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Former BJP MP and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi, who is also a well-known animal rights advocate, said the order would put civic bodies under immense pressure and make it more difficult to prevent dog bites while also safeguarding the animals.
In response to the backlash, the Supreme Court has listed the matter for hearing before a larger three-judge bench on Thursday. 'The judges who passed the order are not part of the bench,' the court said.
With inputs from agencies