Shiv Sena (UBT) Yuva Sena district chief Vikram Randhave on Tuesday, September 15, released four to five stray dogs inside the office of Niphad Nagar Panchayat chief officer Dheeraj Bhamre to highlight what he described as the administration’s failure to tackle the growing menace of stray dogs.

A video of the incident has surfaced on social media and purportedly shows the politician carrying bags inside Vikram Randhave’s office. Moments later, he opens the bags and lets the dogs out on his table. Startled by the move, Vikram Randhave, who was sitting in his chair, slides back a little.

One of the dogs, clearly frightened by being locked inside the bag, moves away and settles into a corner on another table, while another wanders around. The Sena UBT leader is then seen exchanging words with the Niphad civic chief.

Sena UBT leader releases dogs in civic office: Watch

Read: https://t.co/RyqVUcc9lQ pic.twitter.com/4GmAbYUP4O

Randhave also placed a garland made of currency notes around the chief officer’s table to protest the civic administration’s handling of the issue. He claimed that more than 400 stray dogs roam the Nagar Panchayat limits and that over 100 residents suffer dog-bite injuries every month.

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The Sena UBT chief also alleged that repeated complaints had failed to prompt an effective system to catch and sterilise stray dogs.

The menace has particularly affected children, senior citizens and motorists, he said, adding that victims have to undergo painful treatment after being bitten. At the Niphad sub-district hospital, five to six patients bitten by stray dogs reportedly seek treatment every day.

“This means there are more than 100 dog-bite cases every month. Anti-rabies vaccine is currently available at the hospital,” said Dr Rajiv Tambale of the Niphad sub-district hospital.

Randhave warned that if the Nagar Panchayat failed to take concrete measures to control the stray-dog population, the dogs would again be released inside the chief officer’s office in the presence of citizens. He said the dogs were released in the office to demonstrate what the residents had been facing for a long time.