Pune-bound pet Labrador dies during train journey, owner alleges railway lapses & insensitive handling of body; officials refute charges

Pune: A Ludhiana-based pet owner has accused Indian Railways of major lapses in transporting his four Labrador Retrievers to Pune last month, alleging that one dog died during the journey, while three others fell ill. Compounding the distress, he said the family was made to remove the dead animal at Jhansi station.

Pet owner Balbir Singh, who had travelled to Pune last month for his sister’s wedding, said though the incident occurred on April 19, he had yet to receive a satisfactory response from railway authorities despite pursuing the matter for weeks.

“The four Labradors were booked in the brake van of the Jhelum Express. I approached railway officials in Ludhiana for guidance, but was redirected to an intermediary and a private animal transporter. We were assured the dogs would either be placed in separate cages or accommodated in a sufficiently large enclosure,” he told TOI on Saturday.

The pet owner, however, said journey videos purportedly showed two large Labradors confined to a single cage. “At the station, there was no airconditioned brake van, nor were there two cages. The available cage was far smaller than what railway staff had assured us,” he alleged.

Singh said the dogs were healthy and had been certified fit before the journey. “The compartment appeared unhygienic. After reaching Pune, three dogs developed high fever and one died during the journey near Jhansi,” he said.

According to Singh, the family became aware of the dog’s death only when they checked on the animals during the journey. He alleged that railway staff did not inform them about the animal’s condition, despite later claiming that the dog had been barking continuously for a long period.

He further alleged that railway personnel insisted the body be removed at Jhansi station, despite the family’s request to take it to Pune for final rites. “My deceased dog was handled disrespectfully and thrown onto the platform,” Singh said, adding that the family had to disembark at Jhansi and make their own arrangements.

Singh also approached animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, who wrote to the railways minister in May seeking an inquiry into the incident. The matter gained attention again after animal welfare organisation People For Animals highlighted it on social media on May 29.

Responding to the allegations, Manoj Kumar Singh, public relations officer of North Central Railway’s Jhansi Division, said, “As per rules, a dead animal cannot be transported further under the same booking. The passenger discontinued his journey at Jhansi and the animal was handed over to him as per prescribed procedure. It was not thrown. The dog was properly attended to and handed over to its owner.”

Hemant Kumar Behera, divisional commercial manager and PRO of Pune division, said the booking had been made in Ludhiana. “One dog received by Pune division was handed over to the owner. Another reportedly died at an intermediate station under Jhansi division, which is outside the purview of Central Railway. Any investigation must be conducted by the divisions concerned. We are informed that Jhansi division has initiated a probe into the matter,” he said.

A spokesperson for the Firozpur railway division, which oversees Ludhiana railway station, said all prescribed procedures for booking and transporting the dogs were followed.