A case was registered against a man on Saturday for brandishing an air gun to protect his children from stray dogs, while escorting them to a nearby Madrasa here.

Reacting to the case, the man identified as Sameer said it was only an air gun, which could not be used to even cause an injury to the canines.

The police registered the case on its own, a day after a short video of an armed Sameer escorting a group of children to the Madrasa had gone viral.

In the video, he could be seen walking in front of the children wielding the gun and saying that he would shoot any stray dog if it attacked them.

Bekal police told PTI that IPC Section 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot) was slapped against the man.

Sameer said he came to know about the case through the media and the police are yet to call him.

He also said he carried the airgun just to instill his children with courage and also the kids in the neighbourhood, who are worried about the stray dogs.

"The dogs cannot be killed using an airgun. What I did was to try to give protection to my children... That is my duty as a parent," Sameer said.

Amid mounting criticism of the government's inability to control canine population or instil confidence among people regarding efficacy of the anti-rabies vaccine, the Left dispensation has initiated steps to address the menace on a war-footing.

The government has launched a state-wide mass vaccination campaign from September 20 to October 20 for vaccinating stray and pet dogs and opening more Animal Birth Control centres.