Pune, Nov. 23 -- A video from Pune showing two donkeys towing a Mahindra Thar SUV along a public road has sparked nationwide outrage. According to activists, the vehicle weighs between 1,660kg and 1,845kg - more than 30 times the legal load limit permitted for donkeys - raising serious concerns about animal cruelty. Alokparna Sengupta, managing director, Humane World for Animals India, said that such incidents reflect a disturbing disregard for basic compassion. "We cannot allow acts that drag us back to an era where animals were exploited for labour. Progress means leaving cruelty behind, not staging it for attention and viral content. Such regressive displays normalise cruelty and undermine the values of compassion enshrined in our Constitution," she said. The organisation has written to the Pune collector, saying under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, donkeys are classified as pack animals that can carry only up to 50 kg. Forcing them to drag an entire vehicle left the animals visibly strained and distressed, it said. Pune district collector Jitendra Dudi said, "The complaint will be investigated and necessary action will be taken based on the findings." The incident reportedly took place on November 13 when Ganesh Sangade of Junnar staged a protest outside Sahyadri Motors in Wakad over what he claimed were persistent issues in his newly purchased Thar. The video shows the donkeys tied to the SUV, two men walking beside them beating snare drums, and others pushing the vehicle from behind. Sangade said his vehicle had developed problems since purchase, including water leakage, diesel mixing with oil and unusually loud engine noise. He said repeated complaints to the dealer brought no resolution. Responding to the protest, Atim Patil, business head of Sahyadri Motors, said the customer's concerns had been escalated to the manufacturer. "The defective parts will be replaced and repairs will be done as required. We are addressing the issue," he said. Sandeep Sangade, Ganesh's brother, denied that the donkeys were made to pull the SUV. "The donkeys were brought in a tempo and tied near the showroom's entrance, but they were not pulling the vehicle. The driver was inside the SUV with the engine on and was driving it slowly. The donkeys were only tied for the protest," he said....