Telangana High Court questions government on dog attack prevention after toddler’s death
Hyderabad: In response to the tragic death of an 18-month-old boy due to a dog attack in Jawaharnagar, Secunderabad, the Telangana High Court addressed the rising concerns over recent incidents involving dog attacks. On July 18, the High Court sought information from the Telangana government regarding measures being implemented to prevent such incidents.
During the proceedings, the Advocate General revealed that there are approximately 379,000 stray dogs within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) limits. The government informed the court that state-level committees have been formed to address the issue of dog attacks, and they are currently conducting sterilization efforts at six centers in Hyderabad, where around 200 dogs are sterilized daily.
The High Court raised concerns about the effectiveness of sterilization in preventing attacks. In response, a lawyer representing the Animal Welfare Association said that relocating stray dogs to shelter homes would provide a more effective solution. The lawyer cited that approximately 90,000 dogs have been placed in shelter homes in Nagpur.
The court has directed members of the Animal Welfare Association to engage with the government committees to collaboratively seek solutions to this pressing issue. The Telangana High Court has adjourned further hearings for two weeks.
It was learned that an 18-month-old boy named Vihaan was killed after being attacked by a group of stray dogs while playing outside his home in Jawaharnagar, Secunderabad, on July 16 (Tuesday) night.
According to reports, the boy went outside to play when the group of dogs attacked him around 7 p.m. During the attack, his mother had stepped out to get some medicine, while the rest of the family members were inside the home.
This incident comes on the heels of another close call reported on Monday in Ramnagar Colony, Ghatkesar, where a four-year-old boy was narrowly saved from a group of stray dogs by his father’s swift intervention. The boy was playing outside his house when the dogs chased him and attempted to attack. The father intervened in time and managed to chase the dogs away, rescuing his son.
Another incident involved the tragic death of six-year-old Vishal, who was mauled by stray dogs near a dump yard in Isnapur, Patancheru. Vishal’s parents, migrants from Bihar working at a nearby construction site, were present when he was attacked by three stray dogs, resulting in fatal neck bites. The boy succumbed to his injuries on the spot.
In another incident in Chitrapuri Colony of Manikonda, a woman out for a morning walk was attacked by a pack of dogs in a parking lot. CCTV footage of the incident shows the woman bravely defending herself against the aggressive dogs. Fortunately, she managed to protect herself after a fierce struggle.
