A 35-year-old man has been booked for allegedly killing a three-month-old Husky puppy by throwing the dog off a third-floor balcony in east Delhi’s Geeta Colony, police said. The puppy’s owner has accused the neighbour of committing the act after the animal reportedly urinated outside his house.
The accused, Ravi Gupta, a resident of the same locality, has been booked under Section 325 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (mischief by killing an animal) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. He has denied the allegation, claiming instead that the three-month-old puppy attacked his child.
The incident took place around 10pm on April 19, when the puppy, a Golden Breed Husky named Cherry, was found lying bloodied by her owner’s minor son. According to the first information report (FIR), the boy saw Gupta hurl the dog from the third floor. Cherry was unconscious when the boy reached her.
The dog’s owner, Jitender Nagpal, 49, said he had adopted Cherry just a month ago, fulfilling a long-time dream of having a pet. “She was like my daughter,” Nagpal toldHT. “My son named her. My wife was extremely attached to her. What harm could a three-month-old puppy possibly do? Bark a little? Pee outside someone’s door?”
Nagpal, who works as a marketing consultant at a private company in Loni, recalled the day of the incident: “Around 9.30pm, the man who irons our clothes came to drop off laundry. The gate was open, and Cherry ran outside. The man told us she had gone upstairs. My son went looking and saw Gupta throw her off the balcony. When he confronted him, Gupta shouted, ‘Yes, I did it. Now go.’”
The family immediately called the police, who registered the FIR and sent a crime team to inspect the scene and collect Cherry’s body and samples.
Nagpal expressed frustration over Gupta’s swift release. “He was let go within hours. The laws are just not strong enough when it comes to animals,” he said. “Gupta is now claiming that Cherry attacked his child. But how is that possible? She was barely three months old.”
“An FIR was registered as soon as the complaint was received. A crime team visited the site. The accused was issued a notice to join the investigation and has been cooperating so far. He has been bound down by law, and further legal action will follow if he doesn’t cooperate,” deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said.
Despite the legal proceedings, the family remains devastated. “Cherry wasn’t just a pet. She was family,” Nagpal said. “We always wanted to adopt a dog. And now, just weeks later, we’re left with heartbreak and no answers.”
The police have not confirmed whether any CCTV footage exists of the incident. The investigation is ongoing.
Meanwhile, in an effort to strengthen animal protection enforcement, officials from the NGO People for Animals – Public Policy Foundation conducted a police training workshop in east Delhi. “The training equipped police with tools to identify, intervene, and act in animal cruelty cases, which are a growing concern in high-density areas like East Delhi,” said PFA official Sanna Singh. Led by animal welfare expert Sunayana Sibal, the workshop covered key laws, including the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Care and Maintenance of Case Property Animals Rules, 2017.
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