Besides busting crime rings, catching thieves and maintaining law and order, Senior Police Inspector Sudhir Kudalkar is on a special mission – a mission to make Mumbai safe for stray animals.

Always an animal lover, the plight of strays during the pandemic compelled the 50-year-old to take action. With people unable to step out, there was no one to feed the animals. At the same time, there was an alarming increase in the incidents of animal cruelty, and people abandoned their pets on the roads. 

Animal lovers started contacting Kudalkar, seeking permission to step out to feed the strays. 

To facilitate this, the compassionate officer started a WhatsApp group called Pure Animal Lovers (PAL).  The group today has over 7,000 members, including animal lovers, activists, feeders and lawyers. 

As many cases involve disputes in housing societies between animal lovers and other residents, PAL has a strong team of 19 lawyers. They ensure that all animal abusers face legal consequences. The group also helps rescue injured strays.

The Senior Police Inspector has taken action against 3,500 animal abuse cases so far. His workplace, the MHB police station in Borivali, Mumbai is also a safe haven for animals, open 24*7.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) declared Kudalkar a ‘Hero to Animals’ after he rescued a 120-year-old turtle who was stuck in a drain.

Edited by Khushi Arora