Four puppies were beaten up, put in a sack and abandoned near a crematorium (representational)
Seven people were booked on Friday for allegedly torturing a puppy, leading to the canine's death, police said.
The seven include three people from a housing complex in Thane and a labourer, officials informed.
Police said that a resident of the housing complex had filed a complaint that a group of people had objected to her feeding dogs in the vicinity of the complex.
The complainant told police that on January 14, around 8:30pm, this group of seven people beat up four puppies and put them in a sack and abandoned them near a crematorium.
The complainant further told police that when she went to check on the puppies, she found that one of them had died due to the assault.
An official said that a case has been registered with Narpoli police station in Bhiwandi under relevant sections of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and the Indian Penal Code.
He added that investigations were underway but no arrests have been made so far.