Khandwa: Opposition Leader Deepak Rathore Protests 'Stray Dog Sterilisation Scam' With Individual in Dog Costume (Videos)
Deepak Mullu Rathore, opposition leader in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, staged a protest at the district collectorate on August 18, accompanied by an associate in a dog costume. The demonstration challenged the municipal corporation's alleged misuse of INR 40 lakh in sterilisation funds, citing high dog-bite incidents despite claimed efforts to control the stray population.
A man dressed in a dog costume appeared at a public hearing at the collectorate in Khandwa, Madhya Pradesh, on Tuesday, August 18, to protest the growing stray dog problem and alleged irregularities in the municipal corporation’s sterilisation programme. The demonstration was organised by Deepak Mullu Rathore, leader of the opposition in the Khandwa Municipal Corporation.
He arrived with the costumed individual during the "jan sunwai" (public hearing), where the man submitted a complaint application to the Additional District Magistrate. The unusual protest drew a crowd of officials and local residents. A video surfaced online showing a man wearing a dog mask during the meeting. Guna School Incident: Class 5 Student Makes Female Classmates Drink Urine-Mixed Water, Principal Says 'Eat Chocolate' To Feel Better.
Man Wearing Dog Costume Arrives at Collector's Public Hearing
Our Doggy Brother Has Submitted an Application Against Khandwa Municipal Corporation
Allegations of Expenditure Without Results
Rathore alleged that the municipal corporation spent around INR 40 lakh on stray dog sterilisation over the past four years. Despite this, official figures cited by him show 13,225 dog-bite cases reported in the same period. He claimed bills were issued for sterilisation work that was not effectively carried out, leading to no reduction in the stray dog population.
In statements to reporters, Rathore said corruption had occurred "in the name of dog sterilisation". He referred to the costumed protester as a "Doggy brother" who came from Delhi to help expose the issue. "Regarding all these issues, he has submitted an application against Khandwa Municipal Corporation in the Collector's public hearing that they have issued a bill of Rs 40 lakh in the name of sterilisation," Rathore told IANS.
The application sought transparency in the sterilisation drive, details of expenditure and the number of dogs sterilised, and an impartial investigation into any irregularities, with action against those responsible if fraud is established. Some accounts of the protest included a symbolic claim that sterilisation had been performed on the "dog", yet it later had six offspring, to highlight questions about the programme’s effectiveness.
Official Response and Context
Additional District Magistrate officials received the complaint and indicated that the matter would be examined as per rules. The protest focused on public safety concerns, particularly for children, the elderly, pedestrians and two-wheeler riders, amid rising dog-bite incidents in the city. Videos of the costumed man at the hearing circulated widely on social media, amplifying attention to the issue. Stray dog management and related sterilisation contracts have faced scrutiny in other parts of Madhya Pradesh in recent months, including separate investigations into alleged irregularities elsewhere in the state.
The Khandwa administration has not issued a detailed public response beyond acknowledging the complaint. The opposition has called for a review of the sterilisation programme’s implementation, tender processes and outcomes to address both the animal population and public safety.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 19, 2026 10:35 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).