Trigger warning for animal cruelty/abuse
Shivram Panchal, a 64-year-old resident of Thane lived on the 16th floor. On the 14th floor of the same apartment building, another resident had a pet Persian cat (Sonu). The cat reportedly wandered off frequently, which angered Panchal. According to a domestic help in the building Lalita Gaikwad, one day he got so mad that he beat it with a wooden stick and flung it from the passage window. Sadly, Sonu sustained severe injuries and did not make it out alive. When People with Paws and Wings were called, they facilitated a postmortem and an FIR with Kasarwadavli police.
The man has been charged under Section 429 (Mischief by killing or maiming cattle) of the IPC and under Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960. The latest reports reveal that the accused is now out on bail.
Here is the copy of the FIR filed.
The owner of the cat, Gani Shaikh, is a 65-year-old animal lover. He has eight other cats and a pet dog. He is known to rescue stray animals and give them a home. He has revealed that the accused got into several altercations with him during the past year. All of them around his pets and how the accused feared the safety of a baby in his home.
The police are investigating the matter.