At least 90 stray dogs were found killed with their muzzles and legs tied with strings in Maharashtra's Buldhana district, police said on September 8, 2019.

The carcasses of the dogs were found strewn at various spots on Girda-Savaldabara Road in a forest area in the east Maharashtra district at evening on September 5, 2019, an official said.

"More than 100 dogs were found thrown on the road at five locations. Of them 90 dogs were found dead while some were found to be alive," he said.

The incident came to light due to foul odour from decomposing carcasses.

"After villagers approached Police Patil (village police official), forest department was informed. At the spot, officials of police and forest departments found some dogs were alive and freed them," the official added.

Pursuant to a complaint lodged by a forest guard, a case under Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, was registered on September 8, 2019, against unidentified killers of the stray dogs.

The official said that the cause of the death of the canines would be known once they get postmortem report.

"Police suspect the strays were picked up from the city limits, killed, and their carcasses dumped in the forest area," the official said, adding that they are questioning dog catchers for clues.

(With inputs from agencies)