Niphad police booked Vikram Randhave and his associates for obstructing a public servant and animal cruelty after they barged into the chamber of Dheeraj Bhamre, the Chief Officer of Niphad Nagar Panchayat, on September 17, 2026. In a video that has since gone viral, Randhave is seen pulling two puppies from sacks and dropping them onto Bhamre's desk. The activists were protesting the growing stray dog menace, citing 470 dog bite incidents in the city over the past five months.
Bhamre told the group that the civic body had already issued tenders to address the issue, but Randhave remained unmoved. He placed a garland made of currency notes on the desk and warned of further demonstrations. "If you fail to act, we will bring more dogs to your office next time, along with children and women affected by the problem," Randhave stated in the clip. He claimed that over 400 stray dogs roam within the panchayat limits, with more than 100 residents suffering bites every month, a threat he said was exacerbated during the ongoing Ganesh festival.
Aaditya Thackeray, a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Maharashtra minister, reacted sharply to the incident. In a post on X, Thackeray said he was "disturbed" by the manner in which the puppies were handled. "While one may question the inaction of the civic authorities... the protest should NOT have had the dogs being handled in such a manner," Thackeray wrote. He demanded that Randhave apologize and promised not to repeat the act, a demand Randhave reportedly accepted.
Police have not made any arrests yet, according to an official at Niphad police station. The case involves charges of obstructing a public servant and animal cruelty. It remains unclear whether the Shiv Sena (UBT) district unit officially supports Randhave's protest strategy, with the party's stance yet to be formally clarified.