Three men, including a security in-charge and a flat owner at Agarwal Nagari housing complex in Nalasopara East, have been booked for throwing nine puppies into a drain, killing one of them. The other eight puppies were rescued 24 hours later and reunited with their mother. On Sunday, the Tulinj police booked flat owner Shivam Singh, security in-charge Arjun Rai and sanitary staff Rajendra S for cruelty to animals Act.

The complainant Mitesh Jain, 38, a district welfare officer at Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI), said, "I received a call from an animal feeder Nisha Nikam on November 2 who told me that nine puppies -- barely 20 days old, were missing from the society complex. I rushed to the spot and started looking for the puppies with my team."