Hotelier Vikram Chatwal appears in court after allegations of burning 2 dogs

New York: Indian-American hotelier Vikram Chatwal has been charged with criminal mischief for allegedly trying to set two dogs on fire.

Chatwal, 44, surrendered before police today early morning at 7. He has been charged with criminal mischief, torture and injure animal, reckless endangerment and arson, a New York Police Department officer said.

According to a report in local news website patch.com, the charges stem from an October 7 incident in which Chatwal allegedly got into an argument with a woman walking the dogs outside his home.

Chatwal allegedly pulled out a lighter and aerosol can and used them to burn the two dogs, the report said. It cited the police to say that the dogs suffered minor burns in the incident. Mr Chatwal is expected to make a court appearance in the case later today.