The decomposed bodies of the stray dogs were found near the Tammadihalli forest area.
Nearly forty decomposed bodies of stray dogs have been found near a forest area in Karnataka's Shivamogga district, about 300 km from state capital Bengaluru. The police say that the stray dogs were culled and buried by a contractor who was asked to neuter the dogs.
The gruesome discovery was made after villagers reported that the barking of dogs had suddenly stopped in the region.
The contractor may have been helped by "some gram panchayat members", police officials said citing a preliminary probe.
"It looks like that the contractor had culled around 30 to 40 dogs and buried there. Some gram panchayat members may also be involved. We have registered a case," said BM Laxmi Prasad, Superintendent of Police, Shivamogga.
The Kambadaalalu Hosur Gram Panchayat was entrusted with the task of neutering (surgically remove the testicles) stray dogs. However, the contractor resorted to killing and burying them instead of carrying out the surgical procedure, police officials said quoting the initial probe.
An activist of the Shivamogga Animal Rescue Club, GS Basva Prasad, alleged that gram panchayat members were not aware of the neutering procedure. "So it looks like that they caught stray dogs and buried them in 20 by 20 pits," he said.
The incident came to light after villagers noticed that the barking of dogs had stopped. Soon after, villagers informed the Shivamogga Animal Rescue Club, who searched the area and found their graveyards.
An FIR has been registered against unknown persons under various sections of Cruelty against Animals.
The decomposed bodies of the dogs have been sent for postmortem to ascertain the cause of death.
Animal rights activists allege that over 200 to 300 dogs have been killed in this barbaric way. The police, however, confirmed that 40 dogs have been killed.