Every evening, as the streets of Delhi quieten, dog feeders step out with bags of food and buckets of water. For years, their routine has been simple, to feed the hungry strays and return home. But now, this act of kindness has turned into a risk. Beatings, threats, and harassment have become part of their lives.
What was once a gesture of care has now placed them at the centre of a growing conflict between residents, activists, and unclear laws.
Attacks in Paschim Vihar
Neeti Khattar, a feeder from Paschim Vihar, said she faced the worst attack of her life last week. Videos show a man punching her in the face, leaving her shirt covered in blood.
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“He hit me and my husband in the face really hard. He had a metal ring or a bangle on, and he threatened us. I have faced a lot of verbal insults for feeding dogs, but this is the worst that has ever happened to me. The physical pain and mental trauma are unlike anything else,” she said.
Khattar added that she now fears for her family’s safety.
Gurugram Feeder Beaten With a Stick
Prashanto Samanpa, 29, was feeding dogs in Gurugram’s Sector 28 when a resident attacked him. Video footage shows him carrying buckets on his two-wheeler and talking on the phone. Suddenly, a man is seen hitting him hard with a wooden stick.
“I was beaten really hard on my back, and the doctor said that I have gotten a bone injury. I have been lying like this for the past two days,” Samanpa said. He added that the attacker threatened to kill him if he continued feeding the dogs.
The Gurugram police have not given any official statement on the incident.
Harassment by a Police Officer
In East Delhi, feeder Pankhuri Sharma said a police inspector threatened her. She had questioned him for attacking a dog after his son was bitten.
“I was concerned and so reassured the policeman that I would call an NGO to take the dog away. However, he started yelling at me when people from the NGO came. He also threatened me and abused the NGO people,” she said.
She added that the next morning, the officer tried to attack her again.
However, Deputy Commissioner of Police Abhishek Dhania dismissed the charges. “There was a dog that had bitten a child, and some force may have been used in trying to save the child. The rest is a made-up story,” he said.
Years of Harassment in Faridabad
Divya Nayak from Faridabad’s Sector 86 said she has been facing harassment for years. “People have surrounded me with sticks when I’m feeding the dogs, the RWA members have surrounded my house, the plants from my balcony have been stolen,” she said.
She also claimed that RWA members filmed her, fined her, and even intimidated her after the SC ruling. She submitted a complaint on August 31, listing harassment over three years.
The Faridabad police said they would investigate if any offence is found.
Activists Demand Urgent Action
Maneka Gandhi warned that the situation would worsen if the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) did not act fast.
“The municipality and the Delhi government have to speed up work, because the longer they take, the more this confusion will continue. I have told the commissioner of police that if this is not stopped, incidents like the one in Paschim Vihar will occur every day,” she said.
The MCD said they have started identifying feeding spots. “Work on this has already begun. We have asked inspectors to identify these areas in their zones and report as soon as possible,” a committee member said.
Feeders Refuse to Stop
Despite the growing violence, many feeders say they will not give up. “A 110% I will continue feeding them. If this attack was done to make me stop, then I will see it as a challenge. To stop would be to betray all the others who are experiencing the same,” Khattar said.
For now, fear and confusion dominate the lives of Delhi’s dog feeders. Until clear rules are enforced, activists believe that more clashes are likely.
