[Yonhap News Photo]
South Korean police have launched a rare manhunt for those killing a cute mascot cat with a rock in a case that aroused an online outcry and a wave of memorial posts among young student fans and animal lovers.
The cat named "Ati" was found dead along with a fist-sized rock on January 11 outside a cafe catering to students from two nearby colleges in the southern city of Jecheon.
The case infuriated many Jechon students who have treated Ati as a kind of mascot, sparking an angry online campaign to hunt for those involved in the cruel killing. Under pressure and ceaseless online posts, police in the region launched a criminal investigation.
It used to be a stray cat but Ati seduced many student fans with cuteness and charm after ending a Gypsy life to stay in the garden of the cafe three years ago.
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