A conflict unfolded in Sarfabad village of Noida on Monday morning when a local pet owner sought to cremate his deceased dog at the village crematorium, as reported by police officials.
The pet owner, identified as Surendra Chauhan, a 40-year-old software engineer residing in Noida’s Sector 36, was subsequently charged by the police for allegedly ‘hurting religious sentiment’, under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, aimed at preventing the commission of cognizable offenses.
According to law enforcement authorities, they were alerted around 10 a.m. about a family conducting the final rites of a dog at a cremation ground within the vicinity.
Sarvesh Singh, the station house officer of Sector 113 police station, stated, “A team from Sector 113 police station promptly responded to the scene and encountered villagers protesting against the pet owner.”
Singh elaborated that Chauhan, accompanied by his relative Prajwal Chauhan and a priest, arrived at the crematorium to perform the last rites of his German shepherd dog, Indumati, who had passed away the previous night.
“The villagers assembled at the site and raised objections to the cremation of a dog at a facility designated for human use. Nonetheless, Chauhan contended that the dog was an integral part of their family and they wished to conduct its final rites in accordance with tradition,” a senior officer from Sector 113 police station recounted.
However, before the cremation could be completed, locals extinguished the pyre, sparking further tensions.
“All involved parties were escorted to the police station, where senior officers intervened to de-escalate the situation. Subsequently, Chauhan consented to bury his pet at an unoccupied plot in Sector 73, Noida,” informed the SHO.
Chauhan has been charged under Section 151 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, pertaining to the arrest to prevent the commission of cognizable offenses.
Animal rights activist Kaveri Rana Bhardwaj alleged that the grieving pet owner faced harassment from locals.
“Bhardwaj emphasized that pet owners have their religious beliefs and view pets as integral family members. She questioned the opposition to performing proper rituals for a deceased pet, stressing that animals deserve dignity even in death. Bhardwaj, the founder of SMART Sanctuary, an animal welfare NGO, asserted that there is no regulation stipulating that pets must only be buried and not cremated.
