An elderly man in Ambernath, Maharashtra, was caught on CCTV pushing a beloved society cat off a 12th-floor ledge at Royal Flora Phase 2, causing its death and sparking outrage. Residents, guided by animal activist Xavier Santiago, filed an FIR under the BNS and Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. The cat’s remains were exhumed for post-mortem as police probe motive and mental health claims.
IN A DISTURBING INCIDENT, an elderly man killed a cat by pushing it off the 12th floor of a residential building located in Maharashtra’s Ambernath region. CCTV footage has caught the horrific incident on tape, wherein the man approached the cat who was quietly sitting on the ledge, and afterwards pushed it from the building. The animal then fell down 12 floors, and loud crashes were heard in the footage, leading to the cat’s death. The incident took place on Sunday, July 26, 2026, in the Royal Flora Phase 2 apartment complex located in the state’s Thane district.
In the video clip circulating widely on social media platforms, the cat was seen perched upon a ledge located on the residential building’s 12th floor, sitting quietly. Suddenly an elderly man carrying a sack appeared in the frame. The man approached the cat, and after a few seconds he pushed the cat off the ledge by hitting it with a bag. The cat then fell from a building, a massive thud sound is heard in the video, and the cat died afterwards.
The video triggered widespread outrage and uproar amongst social media users, who deemed the case an instance of “animal cruelty” and demanded strict action against the perpetrator. The cat was seemingly a beloved member of the society, quiet and loved by the residents. After the cat’s death, the building's residents rallied together to demand justice for the loving creature who was unjustly killed. With legal guidance from animal welfare activist Xavier Santiago, an FIR was registered against the accused.
After the FIR was registered, the cat’s remains were exhumed from where it was buried, and the corpse has been sent for post-mortem examination. The investigation will proceed forward upon the forensic evidence that will be found during the post-mortem examination.
In a statement given to news agency PTI, senior inspector Pramod Patil of the Shivaji Nagar police station said, "The incident occurred around 5.45 am on Sunday. The cat was sitting on the 12th floor parapet wall of the housing society's duct when the accused came there and pushed the feline off without any provocation. The animal fell to the ground floor and died,” he said.
The police official further added that after being informed, a police team rushed to the scene. The carcass of the cat was recovered and sent to a veterinary hospital, where a post-mortem was conducted. He also said, “The case was registered against the man under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.”
In another update posted on Instagram, residents of the building reached the spot where the cat was killed, and afterwards went to the elderly man’s house to confront him. They were informed that the man was mentally ill, and had just come home after dropping his wife at the railways station before committing the crime. Residents talk about the nature of the cat, calling it “lovely” and “quiet” and maintain that the killing of the animal was unprovoked.
Social media users have expressed their condemnation of the incident, and seem deeply saddened by the cat’s unjust killing. Some users have called for strict action against the elderly man, while others express their despair. “Jaan to Jaan Hoti Hai Insan ki ho ya billi ki ho.” one user commented (a life is a life, even it’s of a cat).
See also: Cat Gets Caught Smuggling Drugs Into Russian Prison, Video of the “Feline Smuggler” Goes Viral
A second comment read: “Now imagine a human instead of a cat! Would there be these many people filled with empathy asking for justice? This is a kind of society we've created. Obviously we'll see such demonic acts increasing each passing day.”
A third user leveled sharp criticism against the elderly man who killed the cat, and commented : “Studies revealed that most of the heinous criminals had child abuse and animal cruelty history in their past. So, be alert. Isolate these anti-social elements from our society or be ready for another incident. This time, who knows, maybe it will be your turn to face hell.”
(Proofread by Anshika Verma)
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