Man held for brutally killing cat in Ahmedabad, police act on viral video

The Vadaj police have arrested a 21-year-old man for allegedly killing a cat in a vacant Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) plot in New Vadaj, following a complaint by an animal welfare volunteer and the circulation of a video showing the act, officials said on Monday.

The First Information Report (FIR) mentions the incident on December 21 around 4.15 pm in an open AMC plot adjacent to Sahaj Apartment in New Vadaj. A resident of the apartment told police that three unknown men arrived at the spot on a black Activa scooter carrying a white plastic bag. They allegedly took out a black-and-white cat, after which one of the men struck the animal on the head with a cement block and kicked it in the face, killing it on the spot.

The complainant, Viralbhai Bharatbhai Patel (25), an employee with a pharmaceutical company and a volunteer with Darshana Animal Welfare Organisation, said he was alerted to the incident after being shown a WhatsApp video by Akashbhai Chavda, a trustee of the organisation. The video, police said, clearly showed the act of cruelty.

Patel and Chavda later visited the site, where they found the cat dead, and approached Vadaj police station to lodge a complaint. During preliminary inquiries, police identified the main accused as Rahul Lalabhai Dantani (21), a resident of Mahadevnagar in the Vadaj area. The identities of the other two persons seen in the video are yet to be ascertained.

Police said Dantani was arrested within hours of the FIR being registered. Efforts are under way to trace and apprehend the remaining accused.

A case has been registered under section of the BNS and section of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Investigators are also examining CCTV footage from nearby areas and the video clip shared on social media to strengthen the case.

Police officials said the swift action was taken in view of the graphic nature of the offence and public outrage over the incident. Further investigation is in progress.