The two medical college students from Chennai, who threw a dog from the terrace of a three-storey building and filmed the act, will have to pay a compensation of Rs 2 lakh, the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University ruled on Monday.
The disciplinary committee formed by the medical university directed Gautam Sudarshan and Ashish Pal to pay Rs 2 lakh each to the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI).
"This is definitely a step forward in the right direction by the university, setting an example for other universities as well," wrote animal activist Shravan Krishnan on Facebook, cheering the ruling.
Under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, the maximum fine is Rs 50 for cruelty to animals. But, the University decided that it wasn't enough.
In July, the the 34-second video, shot by Ashish Pal showed Gautam Sudarshan holding a dog and flinging it from the rooftop had gone viral.
Activists and citizens outraged over the horrific act of animal cruelty.
The dog was later found by activists Anthony Rubin and Shravan Krishnan and they named her Bhadra.
Both the MBBS students of Madha Medical College were booked under IPC sections 428 and 429 , besides the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. They were later let off on bail.
After the duo were suspended from the Madha Medical College for their act, they had filed a writ petition challenging the University's decision.
While hearing the petition, the court directed the University to decide on course of action to be taken.
The court will soon hear a case filed by by animal right activist Anthony Rubin, where he has called for a psychiatric evaluation of the two students and whether they were mentally sound enough to be capable of becoming doctors.
Rubin has also asked the court to make the two accused do community work with any charitable association.
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