Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Apr 21 (IANS): A man has been booked by the Pilibhit police for allegedly shooting his neighbour's pet dog.

The incident occurred on April 17, when the 12-year-old dog was shot dead while sitting outside its owner's house.

Police said before an FIR was lodged in the matter, the dog's owner sent its carcass for autopsy.

According to the owner, Neelam Jain, she rushed to the dog's rescue after hearing it howl, only to find it had sustained a bullet injury near its left shoulder. In her complaint, she mentioned that the accused, Anurag Tomar, 30, who had previously hit the dog with stone and brick ballasts, was found standing at his doorstep staring at the dog.

Jain suspects that Tomar is responsible for shooting her dog with a firearm.

SHO Puranpur police circle, Ashutosh Raghuvanshi said, "The accused has been booked under IPC Section 429, which pertains to committing mischief by killing, poisoning, or maiming any animal, and Section 11 of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act."

This incident follows a similar case in Badaun, where a man was booked by the police for killing a rat by drowning it in a drain in November last year.

Further investigation is underway in the matter and necessary action will be taken after getting the autopsy report, added the SHO.