A 40-year-old woman was beaten to death, and her three children ended up in hospital with injuries after their neighbour saw red over her pet cat creating a mess in his home and ruining his dinner
After the cat wandered into the neighbour’s house and ate the food prepared for dinner, the family thrashed the owner and her sons. Illustration/ Ravi Jadhav
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Pune: A 40-year-old woman was beaten to death, and her three children ended up in hospital with injuries after their neighbour saw red over her pet cat creating a mess in his home and ruining his dinner. The incident occurred on Sunday at 9 pm in the Mhalunge area, when the neighbour flung the cat out of his house after it had eaten some food left open. When the pet parent and her sons went over to talk to him, a nasty fight erupted.
The deceased has been identified as Prabha Ranpise; her sons Ajay and Hrushikesh and son-in-law Dadu Khalse are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Aundh.
A case of murder (302) and assault (323) under the Indian Penal Code has been registered with the Hinjewadi police against the neighbour Amol Balgude, and three other residents who joined him, Ganesh alias Bhaiya Patil, Aakash Modhe and Raju Salve, all arrested, based on a complaint by Ajay.
The deceased's husband, Mohan, said, "The two-year-old cat belongs to our daughter Sarika, who stays with us along with her husband. On Sunday, when we were about to sit for dinner, Balgude started abusing us and threw the cat out. Sarika got upset and questioned him over it, and soon, a fight started, in which they brutally beat up my wife."