Delhi Government Files Police Complaint Regarding Misinformation on Stray Dogs

The Delhi Government has filed a police complaint regarding widespread misinformation claiming teachers were instructed to count stray dogs near educational institutions, according to Education Director Veditha Reddy.

Speaking at a press conference, Reddy clarified that no such directives were issued to teachers across the capital’s schools. The complaint has been lodged against unidentified individuals responsible for circulating the false information that has caused confusion among educational staff and the public.

“We have received numerous inquiries from school principals and teachers about this supposed directive. Let me be absolutely clear: the Education Directorate has not issued any instructions requiring teachers to conduct stray dog counts near their schools,” Reddy stated.

The misinformation appears to have spread rapidly across social media platforms and messaging applications over the past week, creating unnecessary anxiety among teaching staff already dealing with their regular educational responsibilities. Several teachers reportedly expressed concerns about safety risks associated with approaching and counting stray dogs.

The false directives allegedly instructed teachers to document the number of stray dogs within a one-kilometer radius of their schools and submit reports to district authorities. Some versions of the misinformation even suggested that teachers would be held accountable for any dog bite incidents in their school’s vicinity.

Reddy emphasized that the directorate views this as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the educational environment and undermine teacher morale. “We take this matter very seriously. Spreading such misinformation creates confusion, wastes valuable time, and diverts attention from the actual educational priorities,” she said.

The Delhi government has been dealing with the legitimate issue of stray dog management through appropriate municipal bodies. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is the authorized agency responsible for monitoring and controlling the stray dog population in the capital, not school teachers or the Education Directorate.

Dog population management in urban areas remains a complex challenge across India. According to recent municipal data, Delhi has an estimated stray dog population of over 250,000. The management of this issue falls under specialized departments with trained personnel who conduct vaccination drives and sterilization programs.

Education officials clarified that while schools do have protocols for ensuring student safety, including reporting the presence of stray animals that might pose risks to children, there is no policy requiring teachers to conduct systematic counting exercises or population surveys of stray dogs.

The Delhi Police Cyber Cell has initiated an investigation to identify the sources of this misinformation. Authorities are examining the digital trail of messages and posts to determine who originated and amplified the false claims.

This incident highlights the growing challenge of misinformation affecting public institutions. Similar false directives targeting teachers have emerged in other states in recent months, prompting education departments to establish verification channels for official communications.

The Education Directorate has advised school administrators and teachers to rely only on official channels for directives and to verify any unusual instructions through the department’s official website or authorized communication platforms.

“We urge everyone to exercise caution before believing or sharing unverified information. Teachers should focus on their primary responsibility of education and not be distracted by such false claims,” Reddy concluded.

The directorate has since issued a formal clarification to all schools under its jurisdiction to prevent further confusion and ensure normal functioning of educational activities across the capital.