Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court has taken a serious view of the recurring incidents of stray dog attacks on young children in the state. The court expressed concern over the loss of young lives due to the stray dog menace and questioned the effectiveness of the state administration’s efforts to address the problem.
The court directed municipal, revenue, and veterinary officials to submit a report within a week detailing the steps they have taken to control the stray dog population and prevent such attacks. The bench, comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice J Anil Kumar, emphasized that the situation is critical and requires immediate action from the authorities.
The High Court’s directive comes in the wake of several recent incidents of stray dog attacks on children in Telangana. In one such incident, a six-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Patancheru, Sangareddy district. The court took suo motu cognizance of this case and is closely monitoring the state government’s response to the issue.
The bench expressed grave concern over the recurring incidents of stray dog attacks on children in the state, criticizing the state administration for its inadequate efforts to prevent such tragedies.
Mere compensation not enough: CJ
Chief Justice Alok Aradhe emphasized that merely providing compensation to the victims’ families is insufficient, and urged the government to formulate effective policies to ensure such incidents do not recur.
This recent incident in Patancheru, where a 6-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs, follows a similar tragic event on February 19, 2023, in Yerukkala Basthi, Bagh Amberpet, Hyderabad, where another child lost his life due to a stray dog attack.
The High Court had previously taken suo motu action on the Yerukkala Basthi incident and linked it to an ongoing PIL.
The bench has adjourned the matter to July 10, directing the municipal, revenue, and veterinary officials to submit a status report on the measures taken to address the stray dog menace and prevent such incidents in the future.
