An employee of Cognizant was recently filmed by his neighbour (without his knowledge) while he was thrashing his pet puppy mercilessly in his house. The video had gone viral causing widespread reaction. Even Maneka Gandhi, Lok Sabha member and animal rights activist, had sought action against Rishabh Mehra, the man in the video. After the online campaign against the employee — #JusticeForBuddy— the multinational technology company, Cognizant, that employed Mehra, announced on Twitter that Mehra was no longer on its rolls.
The incident took place on October 25 following which the puppy was rescued by animal rights activists and an FIR was lodged against Mehra. The puppy had apparently sustained fractures from the beating. Mehra had used a belt to thrash the ten-month old lab and even banged him against the floor.
Fortunately for the puppy, a neighbour who is a volunteer from People for Animals (PFA) saw the beating taking place and captured it on camera as evidence.
In the first week of December, Gandhi stated on Twitter that no action had been taken against Mehra and that the man was absconding. She mentioned Cognizant as his employer and demanded that action be taken against the heartless man.
Activists maintain that a person who can be so heartless and brutal towards a helpless little animal can neither be a good human being nor a worthy employee.
A Change.org petition started by the PFA volunteer who had caught the act on camera, also accuses Mehra’s wife of being present during the beating and not intervening to stop her husband.
