Vijayakumar aged 45 years, works at a goldsmith unit in Chennai. In order to stop a stray dog from barking at him, he gave it poisoned food. Eight cats and one dog died as a result of his action. When he was returning home late at night he had thrown stones at a dog that barked at him often. Following this, whenever he crossed the street near Thiruvottiyur market, the dog would bark at him.

Annoyed by this, he decided to get rid of the dog. He bought fried chicken and mixed it with poison, leaving it out on the street for the dog. The next day, not only the dog but eight cats also died due to the food. CCTV footage showed that Vijayakumar had left the food out and then gone towards his house. The residents then informed the police who arrested him on Monday. Due to the incident, three kittens have now become orphans. The residents have graciously stepped in to care for them.