Four people have been arrested and questioned by Egyptian prosecutors on Tuesday over charges of torturing a dog to death in the Cairo suburb of Matareya.

The four suspects said that they assaulted the dog after it had attacked their livestock.

Police arrested the defendants a day after a shocking video clip went viral on social media, showing a group of people cornering a dog in a Tuk-Tuk (a common mode of transport in Egypt), and striking it with fatal blows using different kinds of steel.

The incident sparked uproar across social media platforms, especially among animal rights activists.

A number of social media users launched the hashtag “The Matareya Dog,” which gained huge support and sympathy for the animal. Many called on the authorities to take legal action against the assailants and observe animal rights in Egypt.

According to Egyptian criminal law, anyone who intentionally kills an animal can be imprisoned for a period not exceeding one year and pay a fine of no more than EGP 200.