Bengaluru man attacks flatmate's pet cat after it defecates in room, booked: Report

A case has been registered against the man under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 in Bengaluru.

A 28-year-old Bengaluru man was booked for allegedly assaulting a pet cat in his BTM Layout flat after the cat defecated in his room.

Representational Image (Pexels)

According to The Hindu report, the incident occurred on Tuesday night. It came to light after a video posted by the pet's owner went viral on social media, drawing widespread condemnation.

The accused, Manish Ratnakar shared the flat with his 25-year-old roommate, Mohammed Aftab, who owns the cat. According to the complaint, the altercation began after the cat allegedly defecated in Ratnakar’s room. Angered by the incident, Ratnakar reportedly called Aftab, demanding that the cat be removed from the flat, the report added.

When Aftab returned home and inquired about the cat’s whereabouts, Ratnakar initially denied any knowledge. However, Aftab later discovered the cat injured and bleeding, hidden in a bucket on the terrace. Upon confrontation, Ratnakar admitted to kicking the cat out of anger, The Hindu reported.

The cat was taken for medical treatment following the assault. Aftab subsequently filed a complaint with the police, who registered a case against Ratnakar under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.

‘Penalise pet owners who...’

The Karnataka High Court recently ruled that pet owners in Bengaluru who fail to clean up after their pets in public parks will face penalties. The order, passed on Tuesday, came from a bench comprising Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Compassion Unlimited Plus Action (CUPA), an NGO, The Indian Express reported.

The bench noted that among the 1,288 parks managed by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), numerous public complaints had been lodged regarding the “irresponsible conduct” of some pet owners, particularly about not cleaning their pets' excreta. The court emphasized the need for accountability in maintaining the cleanliness of public spaces.