A pet owner on January 1 handed an application to the Surat police demanding legal action against Surat Municipal Corporation’s (SMC) marketing department over the purported death of his pet dog.In his application to Icchapore Police, Sunilkumar Singh alleged that on December 29, 2025 at 9:45am, a dog-catcher team from SMC’s marketing department caught his Pomeranian dog (female) outside the house in the lawn area.
Singh was at work in the morning and learnt about his pet’s disappearance after returning home in the evening.
On checking the CCTV cameras installed outside his house and those of other neighbours, he saw two youths catching the pet using a net tied to one end of a stick, and carrying it to the SMC vehicle.
The video footage showed the SMC team had left the spot without informing the neighbours.
The next day, Singh reached the SMC market department office to enquire about his pet.
In his application, Singh said that while interacting with SMC officials, they had accepted that the “lower-level contractual staff” had mistakenly caught the pet.
Singh then approached Icchapore police to register an offence against the people involved in the “death of his pet”.
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Ichhapore police inspector AC Gohil said, “We have received the application and have started a probe to get information about what actually happened. It is unknown whether the pet is alive or dead. Once we take statements from all the suspects, the picture will be clear.”
Sunil Singh said, “I have been taking care of a Pomeranian dog for the last five years. I live with my family members. The dog catcher team caught our dog from our lawn without notifying my family members. We call my pet “Jadiben” and it was like my child. I still don’t know whether my pet is dead or alive…”
SMC market department officials did not respond to phone calls .
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Kamal Saiyed is a senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, providing extensive, on-the-ground coverage from Surat and the broader South Gujarat region and the Union territories of Daman, Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli. With a reporting career at the publication spanning back to 2007, he has established himself as a high-authority voice on the industrial, social, and political pulse of one of India’s fastest-growing urban hubs.
Expertise
Industrial & Economic Beat: Based in the “Diamond City,” Saiyed offers expert reporting on the diamond and textile industries. His work tracks global market shifts (such as De Beers production changes), local trade policies, and the socio-economic challenges facing the millions of workers in Surat’s manufacturing hubs.
Civic & Infrastructure Coverage: He consistently reports on urban development and public safety in Surat, including:
Traffic & Urban Planning: Monitoring the city’s 13-fold increase in traffic violations and the implementation of new municipal drives.
Public Safety: Investigative reporting on infrastructure failures, fire safety NOC compliance in schools and commercial buildings, and Metro rail progress.
Political Reporting: Tracking the shifting dynamics between the BJP, Congress, and AAP in South Gujarat and the neighboring Union Territories (Daman, Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli).
Crime beat: Armed with a good source network Saiyed has been able to bring out the human side of crime stories in his region … Read More
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