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Puppy abuse case: Mumbai Police launch first cross-state hunt, trace accused to UP village

Puppy abuse case: Mumbai Police launch first cross-state hunt, trace accused to UP village

Representative image Photograph: (Pexels)

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Animal rights activists have hailed the interstate operation by the Mumbai Police as a landmark move, saying it could set a precedent for stricter enforcement in such cases of animal cruelty, which have often been treated as minor offences in the past.

Mumbai: In a significant breakthrough, the Mumbai Police have tracked down a man accused of sexually assaulting a two-month-old puppy, in what officials describe as their first cross-state pursuit in an animal cruelty case. The cops traced the accused who had fled after the incident.

The shocking incident took place in Kurar village in Malad, Mumbai, where locals allegedly caught the 20-year-old accused inside a public toilet with the injured puppy. The animal was immediately rescued and taken for medical treatment, where veterinarians confirmed signs of abuse.

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Soon after the incident, the accused fled the city. Police teams began tracking his movements using technical surveillance and local intelligence. Investigations eventually led officers nearly 1,500 kilometres away to Hardi village in Bahraich district, in Uttar Pradesh.

A special team from Mumbai travelled to the village and served him a legal notice, directing him to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. Officials said the action signals a tougher stance against crimes involving animal cruelty, which have often been treated as minor offences in the past.

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An FIR has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Animal rights activists have called the interstate operation a landmark move, saying it could set a precedent for stricter enforcement in such cases.

The investigation is ongoing, and police say further legal action will follow as the probe progresses.

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Disha Shah

Disha Shah is an award-winning journalist and a Principal Correspondent at WION based in Mumbai, India. She has over 12 years of experience across broadcast and digital media, in r...Read More