An FIR has been registered against unidentified persons after nearly 20 cats were found dead and mutilated in the Panjrapole area of Chembur, with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India announcing a reward of up to Rs 50,000 for information leading to an arrest and conviction.
Bodies Discovered Over Weeks
The killings came to light after local caregiver Rubeena Pathan began finding mutilated cat carcasses in August. On 4 September, she discovered six more bodies with the animals’ internal organs exposed, and the following morning she found another dead cat along with a kitten in severe distress.
A complaint was filed on 9 September, and the police registered an FIR the same day.
PETA India said it worked with the RCF Police Station and the caregiver to ensure the case was registered under applicable law. The identity of the accused remains unknown, and police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify suspects.
Case Registered Under BNS, PCA Act
The FIR has been filed under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which classifies killing, poisoning, maiming or rendering an animal useless as a cognisable offence punishable with up to five years’ imprisonment, a fine, or both. It also invokes Sections 11(1)(a) and 11(1)(l) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
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PETA Cites Link To Wider Violence
PETA India Cruelty Response Officer Ishani Rathee said those who abuse animals often go on to harm other animals and humans, adding that public reporting of such cruelty was essential for everyone’s safety. She commended Senior Police Inspector Dattatray Patil of RCF Police Station for directing that the FIR be registered.
The organisation cited a study published in the Forensic Research & Criminology International Journal, which found that people who commit cruelty against animals were three times more likely to go on to commit other crimes, including murder, assault and substance abuse.
PETA India has asked anyone with information about the case to contact the organisation directly, noting that informants’ identities will be kept confidential upon request. Investigations by RCF Police Station remain ongoing.
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