Ankit Salvi | Mumbai
A shocking case of alleged animal cruelty and criminal conspiracy has surfaced from an upscale residential society in Mumbai’s Madh Island, where the mysterious disappearance of a community dog named Mikey has now turned into a suspected murder investigation.
Preliminary findings by the Malvani Police suggest that the six-year-old street dog may have been deliberately killed and that efforts were allegedly made to destroy evidence by deleting CCTV footage.
According to police sources, the initial probe has revealed that Mikey’s death was not accidental but part of a premeditated conspiracy.
Investigators suspect that some office-bearers of the housing society were unhappy with the dog’s presence within the premises and allegedly enlisted others to eliminate him.
Police have registered an FIR against six individuals, including two society office-bearers. The accused have been identified as Sudesh Malik, the society secretary; Rampravesh Kannaujia, the society manager; Vaibhav Koli and Datta, both housekeeping staff; and Bunty and Karan, housekeeping supervisors.
The accused have been booked under provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) pertaining to criminal conspiracy and destruction of evidence.
According to investigators, Mikey was allegedly beaten to death. The police suspect that CCTV footage from the society premises was intentionally deleted to conceal evidence related to the incident. When animal lovers and complainant actor Sanket Kadam sought access to the footage, the society management reportedly claimed that the data had been formatted.
However, the police’s technical team has found indications suggesting that the footage may have been deliberately erased.
A senior police officer said that investigators are currently collecting evidence linked to the suspected deletion of CCTV footage. “The society has been asked to hand over the CCTV hard disk. Once received, it will be sent for forensic examination to retrieve the deleted footage,” the officer said, adding that there had been previous disputes involving dogs within the society.
In what could be the first such instance in Mumbai Police’s history, a special field unit of the Maharashtra State Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has been deployed to investigate the suspected killing of a community dog.
The forensic team has collected bloodstains and other biological samples from areas within the society where Mikey was last seen and where he is suspected to have been assaulted. Investigators remain hopeful that the deleted CCTV footage can be recovered to establish the sequence of events.
Sources, citing an eyewitness account from within the society, claimed that Mikey was allegedly beaten with an iron rod until he succumbed to his injuries. It is further alleged that his body was stuffed into a sack and disposed of in the nearby Madh creek. However, police officials said they are still in the process of gathering evidence to corroborate these claims.
Mikey had gone missing from the society on May 29, 2026. After unsuccessful attempts to trace him, actor and society resident Sanket Kadam lodged a complaint with the Malvani Police on June 6.
Initially, an FIR was registered against unidentified persons, but following preliminary investigations, six individuals have now been named as accused.
Mikey had reportedly been living in the society for the past six years and was cared for by several residents. The incident has sparked outrage among animal lovers and has drawn reactions from Bollywood actors Bhumi Pednekar and Nushrratt Bharuccha, who have expressed support for the demand for justice for the community dog through social media posts.
The Malvani Police are currently awaiting the forensic report. Officials stated that if laboratory analysis confirms that the collected samples are blood linked to the incident, further action, including arrests, may follow.
