Animal rights activist alleges assault

NEWDELHI: Animal rights activist and founding member of the animal welfare organisation Neighbourhood Woof Ayesha Christina Benn has alleged that she and her three team members were allegedly assaulted by a crowd in outer Delhi’s Rishi Nagar near Rani Bagh while they were corralling street dogs for sterilisation on Friday night. A video of Benn narrating her ordeal inside the police station was widely circulated on social media. Benn alleged that around 20 people blocked her car and vandalised its windows and windshields in their attempt to pull her and her colleagues— Deepak, Vipin and Abhishek— out of the vehicle with the intent to assault and kill them. Benn suffered cuts on her face and bled. A case of assault, wrongful restraint and criminal intimidation was registered at the Rani police station on her complaint and medical examination report.

The police, however, said that there was a scuffle between the residents of Rishi Nagar and the Neighbourhood Woof members over their identities. Three residents were injured after they were hit by the car while the Neighbourhood Woof members attempted to escape from the spot, said deputy commissioner of police (outer) A Koan.

According to Benn, she and three of her team members had gone to catch street dogs on the invitation of a local resident. “We were corralling the last dog when a resident enquired about us and our work. I briefed him and continued our work. The man and his family members then started arguing with my two colleagues,” said Benn. As they were leaving in the car, Benn alleged, around 20 locals arrived and blocked their way and intimidated them.