MUMBAI: The Sakinaka police arrested a man on Wednesday after he allegedly poured petrol on a cow and 15 two-wheelers following a petty fight. A case has been registered against him under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
The accused also allegedly torched electricity meters and parts of three to four commercial shops in Chaudhari Estate Compound on Khairani Road. The complainant’s family tried to extinguish the blaze before alerting the fire brigade and the police. Firefighters later brought it under control. The accused has been identified as Akash Yadav, an unemployed man. The cow was among eight animals kept in a shed owned by Vijay. They rushed outside and found that one cow’s mouth was on fire. Vijay’s brother immediately extinguished the flames but the animal suffered burns. The family subsequently noticed the other fire in the Chaudhari Estate area. They tried to extinguish it before alerting the fire brigade and the police. Firefighters later brought the blaze under control. The police identified him through the footage and arrested him a few hours later. “He subsequently started fires that damaged motorcycles, electricity meters and commercial stalls in Chaudhari Estate Compound, Yadav Nagar.
Vijay and his younger brother were sleeping in a room near the shed when they heard the cows mooing in distress at around 5.30 am. CCTV footage showed him in the locality carrying a bottle containing petrol between 5 am and 6 am.
He is a habitual drinker against whom several cases have reportedly been registered for causing a nuisance in the locality, according to the police. The police said that Yadav was under the influence of alcohol when he went on his rampage. “Based on the CCTV footage, Yadav was taken into custody for allegedly pouring petrol on the cow’s mouth and setting it ablaze,” said a police officer. Sakinaka police senior inspector Avinash Mandle said the accused was arrested and further investigation was underway.
