Overview

• A viral video posted by animal welfare officer Vijay Rangare showed a man repeatedly striking a senior stray dog with a wooden plank outside a Kopar Khairane residence
• Local rescuers from People for Animals Mumbai Unit 2 and Street Dogs of Bombay confronted the attacker, humiliated him in the street and escorted him to police custody
• In a filmed apology, the accused youth claimed he acted on his mother’s instruction and remains in custody on animal cruelty allegations
• Under the care of Dr. Kartik Iyer’s veterinary team, the 16-year-old dog is responding well to treatment and is expected to make a full recovery
• The case has reignited debate over vigilante justice versus formal legal processes and prompted NGOs to call for stronger penalties and stricter enforcement of India’s animal welfare laws