The Hanumanganj police on Monday morning arrested Mohd Salman, a native of Old Categorized area in Old city. After being arrested, Salman pleaded forgiveness before the media.
CSP Bittu Sharma said that the accused could be punished with five year jail term if the dog is found to be dead.
Salman had two days ago, threw a stray dog in the Upper Lake while shooting a video meant to be uploaded on social media.
The incident had taken place at the VIP road which joins and old and new city and due to its scenic beauty, people throng the lakeside in large numbers every evening.
In the viral video, the youth, probably inebriated, was seen standing on the sidewalks besides Upper Lake at VIP road in the night. He starts caressing the stray dogs who stood nearby and suddenly flings the dog in the water.
Soon after he uploaded the video on social media but netizens slammed him heavily for this cruel act and the youth identified as Salman a native of Old city removed the same from his account as the social media furore gathered steam.
However, the animal lovers did not let go him easily and lodged complaints with DIG and collector and Shyamla Hills police station by evening on Sunday, lodged a case against the youth under section 429 of the Cruelty to Animal Act and started looking for the youth who was on the run.
Later, a city-based lawyer Rishi Kumar uploaded an audio of the phone call with the youth in which the youngster confessed to his misdeed saying he was drunk on the occasion.
He also claimed that he was the one who had jumped in the water and saved the dog later on. The youth also had promised to upload an apology on social media with the clipping of him saving the dog.