BERHAMPUR: Gajapati police on Tuesday arrested three youths for mercilessly beating a stray to death.
The accused were identified as Tutu Gouda, Sana Gouda and Sunil Gouda, three brothers of Batagouda street.
Paralakhemundi’s Model police IIC Bibekananda Swain said on August 20, the three brothers brutally attacked the dog with iron rod, baton and stick at around 8 pm in the evening and killed it.
Subsequently, they threw the dog in a drain along Batagouda street road.
Sources said a local resident had recorded the brutal killing of the dog by the accused trio on cellphone and the video went viral on social media.
As the barbaric act triggered public outrage, police suo motu registered a case basing on the video clip and started an investigation.
The IIC said a case under Section 429/34 of the IPC and 11 (1)(a), Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was registered and the three brothers arrested.
On the other hand, the accused trio said the stray dog often used to bark at them and chase them. “In order to avoid its bite and protect us, we beat the dog but it died,” they said.