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HOWRAH: Around four men brutally burned five puppies to death after they cried out in the cold on Friday night in the Hatpukur area under the Jagacha police station of Howrah City Police.

The incident has sparked an uproar among local residents. On Saturday afternoon, animal lovers staged a massive protest demanding punishment for the accused.

A senior officer of Howrah City Police said the puppies and their mother had been crying due to the severe cold for several days. Annoyed by this, some residents of a nearby complex poured petrol from their vehicles and set the puppies on fire. The mother of the puppies was also injured in the blaze.

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Representatives from animal welfare and social service organisations arrived at the scene on Saturday morning. Subhasish Paul and his wife Swapna, founders of the Howrah organisation Mamatamoyee Maa, brought the incident to public attention and demanded punishment for the culprits. They took responsibility for the care of the injured mother dog. Subsequently, other animal welfare organisations filed complaints at Jagacha police station.

The police recovered the charred bodies of the puppies and sent them for autopsy. Local resident Debashish Mondal said the apartment residents frequently targeted stray dogs, cats, and bulls. Local legislator and minister Arup Roy expressed his shock at the news and instructed the police to quickly apprehend and punish the culprits.Subhasish Paul said, "Such inhumane acts cannot be tolerated in a civilized society. I am an animal lover myself. Our organisation regularly provides food and medical care for dogs and cats. We have also arranged blankets for stray animals in this cold. I cannot hold back my tears after learning about this cruel incident."Cops at Jagacha station have begun an investigation. CCTV footage identified those involved and efforts are under way to locate the perpetrators, who remain at large.