A youth from Chimbai village in Bandra, allegedly killed a female cat on Wednesday afternoon with a stick (as seen in picture). The cat had recently given birth to a litter of kittens, which are nowhere to be found.

Animal rights NGO Plants and Animals Welfare Society (PAWS) has written to the deputy commissioner of police of zone 9, Cherring Dorje, and senior Inspector of the Bandra police station Phoolsingh Pawar asking them to take action against the 20-year-old boy, who has been identified as Joel.

A woman who witnessed the incident and was shocked at the boy’s behavior. “People in the area have told me that he regularly does this to stray animals. He had previously injured a ferret with his air gun and calmly continued fixing his bike while the animal cried out in pain. He later shot at the ferret again when I confronted him. It is almost like he derives some sadistic pleasure by torturing animals,” the witness said, requesting anonymity.

She added, “When I confronted him about killing the cat, he justified it by telling me that the cat was troubling him, so he killed her. He then put the cat in a plastic bag and threw her into the sea.”

Others sources also said Joel routinely assaults or kills animals in the area.

A few months ago, animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi had written a letter to the authorities, asking them to keep a tab on animal cruelty offenders as studies have shown that most of the violent offenders in prison have had a history of violence against animals.

“Any form of violence is always because of disturbance inside the person”, said psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty. Killing or mutilating an animal is considered a cognisable offence under the Prevention of Cruelty Animals Act and section 428 of the Indian Penal Code.

A senior police officer of the Bandra police station said he will “look into the matter.”