A deemed university on Siruvani Road in Coimbatore has suspended two undergraduate students after a video surfaced showing a cat being thrown from the first floor of a hostel building.
The incident came to light after the video circulated widely on social media, prompting an inquiry by officials from the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) in Coimbatore.
University suspends students after inquiry
In an official communication, the institution stated that the two students involved have been suspended from both the university and the hostel with immediate effect until further notice.
According to SPCA officials, one student allegedly threw the cat from the first-floor building while another recorded the incident.
Cat escaped without injuries
V. Balakrishnan, anti-cruelty officer of the SPCA in Coimbatore, said the incident occurred on February 17.
“The cat was thrown from the first floor of the hostel building and landed on the meadow below. Fortunately, it was not injured,” he said.
Officials noted that the outcome could have been far more serious if the animal had fallen onto a hard surface such as concrete.
SPCA investigation followed viral video
Balakrishnan said the SPCA received the video on Thursday night and immediately initiated an inquiry.
Officials spoke to the students involved on Friday and Saturday, following which the university took disciplinary action against them.
Animal welfare activists have welcomed the suspension, saying it sends a clear message against acts of cruelty toward animals.
Authorities have also urged students and the public to treat animals with care and report any such incidents to the relevant authorities.