Bengaluru: A domestic worker has been arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly killing a pet dog inside a lift at a residential apartment building, in what police described as a shocking act of cruelty.

The accused, identified as Pushpalatha, is accused of killing the puppy by smashing it against the lift floor.

According to police, the incident took place on October 31 but came to light on Monday, after CCTV footage of the act surfaced. The video shows Pushpalatha swinging the dog by its leash and repeatedly slamming it against the floor.

Following the discovery, Raashi Poojari, the pet’s owner, lodged a police complaint after viewing the footage. She told reporters that Pushpalatha had been employed at her home for over a month as a caretaker for her dog, named Goofy.

After killing the dog, Pushpalatha allegedly attempted to cover up the act by claiming the puppy had accidentally fallen while exiting the lift. However, when Poojari questioned the building’s security staff, their responses raised suspicion, prompting her to review the CCTV recordings.

“The accused was being paid a monthly salary of Rs 25,000. But all of a sudden, she killed the pet. I cannot understand why she did it. The accused never argued or quarrelled with me about anything recently.”

Recalling the incident, Poojari said she had hired Pushpalatha to feed and care for the dog while she attended college. “That morning, she said she was taking the dog out for a walk. Within a minute, she returned saying it wasn’t waking up. I thought it had hurt its leg, but when I saw it, the dog was motionless, with its tongue hanging out,” she said.

Poojari initially did not suspect the caretaker and even performed the pet’s final rites at Kengeri the same day. “She remained completely calm and unaffected. Later, when I checked with the security guards, they said the incident might have happened inside or near the lift. When I viewed the CCTV footage, I was horrified by what I saw,” she added.

Police said preliminary investigations confirmed that the accused killed the dog while taking it for a walk. Pushpalatha has since been arrested and charged under relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Indian Penal Code.

IANS