'I only shooed the dog away, did not kill it'

A week after two dogs were brutally beaten to death with a bamboo stick in Bandra's Chimbai village, there is still uncertainty over who committed the heinous crime

Craig D'Souza

A week after two dogs were brutally beaten to death with a bamboo stick in Bandra's Chimbai village, there is still uncertainty over who committed the heinous crime. While a Facebook post has pinned responsibility on two youths, Craig D'Souza (19) and Yohan Quadros (20), in an interview to mid-day, the boys refuted the charge and claimed innocence.

Pooja Sakpal, a member of Youth Organisation in Defence of Animals (YODA), who had registered an FIR with the Bandra police station, said that those who witnessed the incident have been taking the name of the two boys. "The witnesses said that they saw Yohan and Craig searching for the dogs with bamboo sticks in hand. We cannot blame anyone right now because the police are still interrogating the witnesses. The truth will be out soon," said Sakpal.

But, Craig and Yohan have a completely different story to tell. Speaking to mid-day, Craig said that he wasn't at the spot, when the incident, which is said to have taken place last Saturday evening, was reported. "I was with my friends from 8.30 in the evening," said Craig. "We strolled around the beach in Chimbai and later, went to a friend's terrace," he added. He, however, claimed that he had seen Yohan chase a dog with a stick on the morning of the incident. "I only saw him running behind the dog with a stick, but not hitting the animal," he said, adding, "I will defend myself as I know I haven't done anything wrong."

Yohan too admitted that he had shooed a dog away, but said the allegations of beating it were untrue. "I had come home from college that day and was trying to sleep, when a dog started barking outside. I first threw water on the dog, but when it didn't stop, I drove it away with a stick. People are simply dragging my name."

Making the case murkier, Yohan's older brother Valerius has now alleged that he received a call from Abhishek Soparkar, a member of YODA, who asked him to blame Craig for the crime, if he wanted to see his brother safe. But, Soparkar said, "If Yohan has killed the dogs, why would I pin the responsibility on Craig alone? I have no personal enmity against him. People in the neighbourhood are scared of the boys, and don't want to come forward and name them."

Ruchali Sankpal, sub-inspector, Bandra police station said, "We are waiting for the post mortem report to arrive, before we proceed further."

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