A Chennai police constable on night patrol has stirred controversy after a heated exchange with a woman feeding stray dogs at Thiruvanmiyur beach. The constable, identified as Karthik, allegedly snatched her mobile phone while she was recording their altercation, though he later returned it. The incident unfolded when Karthik confronted the woman and her aunt, objecting to their feeding nearly 30 to 40 strays in the area.
He asked them to leave and suggested they stop feeding the animals for a few days to prevent them from gathering, news agency PTI reported.
When the woman questioned his objection, she insisted it was her choice to feed the dogs. She accused him of harassment, prompting the policeman to respond, “Harassment happens if you step out at midnight and roam around.” The remark, captured on video, quickly went viral on social media.
Chennai cop to woman: “The reason harassment happens is because you roam around like this after 12 am.”
The remark came after the police objected to the woman feeding stray dogs outside her home late at night.#thiruvanmiyur #ChennaiPolice #Chennai pic.twitter.com/8zbpYHavFT
— Anagha Kesav (@anaghakesav) August 25, 2025
‘Are You Police?’ — War of Words Escalates
The video showed the woman pressing the policeman to repeat his remark, which he did. At one point, she asked him, “Are you police?” to which he retorted, “Are you public?” He then seized her phone, telling her to collect it from the police station.
According to NDTV, the woman told Karthik that her aunt had faced harassment in May 2024, but no action was taken by the authorities. She accused the police of negligence and also criticised civic officials for failing to sterilise stray dogs as required under the Animal Birth Control law.
Karthik, during the argument, also warned her, “If you come to feed the dogs, we will arrest you and take you to the police station.”
Clarification and Backlash
Media reports later cited Karthik as saying he only meant the woman would be arrested if she was found on the streets past midnight. However, this ‘clarification’ drew further criticism for appearing to shift the burden of women’s safety onto them instead of the police.
So far, no disciplinary action has been initiated against him, reports added.
Supreme Court’s Word on Stray Dogs
The clash comes amid heightened focus on the stray dog issue. Last week, the Supreme Court modified its August 11 order, which had directed that stray dogs in Delhi and the NCR be permanently relocated to shelters, a decision it later deemed “too harsh”.
The apex court has now ruled that stray dogs may be released back after sterilisation, except in cases involving aggressive animals or rabies. It also warned citizens against feeding strays in public spaces and directed that animal activists should not obstruct municipal workers engaged in catch-neuter-release operations.
