Woman accused of stomping puppy held, released on bond

LUCKNOW: The woman accused of stomping a puppy was finally arrested on Friday after remaining elusive for two consecutive days. She was later released on a personal bond. Earlier, the Lucknow police took her 23-year-old son into custody to quiz him about his parents’ whereabouts, said officials. Police also served a notice at the woman’s flat, asking her and her husband to cooperate with the police in the investigation. To note, the woman, Pooja Dhillon and her husband Raj Dhillon were booked under Section 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for causing mischief by maiming an animal. Section 3/11 of Prevention of Cruelty against Animals Act was also slapped against them in the FIR lodged with Vibhuti Khand police on Wednesday/Thursday midnight.

Earlier, a police team raided the couple’s flat in Omaxe Heights apartments but they were found missing. Their mobile numbers were also switched off, said assistant commissioner of police (ACP) of Vibhuti Khand police circle, Swatantra Kumar Singh. “Some of their family members, relatives and friends were contacted and questioned about them,” he added. Later, she was arrested and released on furnishing a personal bond, he said.

Another cop privy to the investigation said the couple’s son who was found at their flat was taken into custody for questioning, as the couple had last contacted their son before disappearing after their alleged video of stomping a puppy had gone viral on Tuesday. He said some of the couple’s friends were trying to shield them by circulating another video in which a woman was seen pampering a puppy, claiming herself as a dog lover. To recall,, two videos of the woman mercilessly stomping a puppy with her sandals in a moving car went viral on social media since Tuesday.