21 January 2020 10:38 am
A security guard working at a poultry farm was arrested on charges of killing a dog with an air rifle at Hengamuwa in Kobeigane, Police said.
The arrest was made on Sunday after the Police were tipped off after a video showing a man shooting the dog went viral.
The air rifle, which the Police believed to be the one used to kill the dog, was taken into custody
The security guard was produced in the Nikaweratiya Magistrate's Court today and remanded till February 3.
Wide publicity was given to the act of shooting down the dog in social media drawing the attention of the authorities including the Kobeigane Police.
Residents living in the vicinity said dogs frequenting the area in search of offal which the owner disposed of near the farm were clubbed to death by an employee who was allegedly paid Rs.500 for every dog killed by him.
They said several pet dogs were slaughtered in this manner, but the dog owners were wary of complaining against the farm owner who was closely connected to a prominent politician in the area. (Chaturanga Samarawickrama)