Shocking! 2 brothers killed in stray dogs’ attacks in Delhi

• More than 6.8 million Indians were bitten by stray dogs in 2020, up from 3.9 million in 2012
• India has the highest rabies burden in the world
• ‘There needs to be more common sense, where we protect animals but also spay, neuter and vaccinate them’

Delhi Police on Sunday confirmed that two brothers, aged seven and five, were mauled to death by stray dogs in a forest area in Ruchi Vihar, in Southwest Delhi’s Vasant Kunj.

Police said the children were attacked in separate incidents and added they informed the local authorities about the deaths and the matter is being investigated.

The first incident took place on Friday when seven-year-old Anand was killed by a stray in the Sindhi Camp near Vasant Kunj.  The second attack took place on Sunday when five-year-old Aditya, Anand’s brother, stepped out of his shanty to urinate and was attacked by dogs.

“It’s an unfortunate incident, but when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was in power in the Municipal Corporation, such an incident did not occur. It’s been three months, and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is busy with corruption, protests, and appointing ministers,” south Delhi MP Ramesh Bidhuri said.

A case under sections of murder was registered at Vasant Kunj South police station and the body was sent to Safdarjung Hospital for an autopsy.

“The injuries looked like animal bites. When we questioned neighbours and locals, it came to light that there are many stray dogs inside the jungle area which often attack goats and pigs. The spot was inspected by the FSL team and the crime team,” said the officer.

SI Mahender of PS Vasant Kunj South reportedly heard the screams of the boys and found that the dogs had attacked Aditya, according to the Indian Express. He rushed the child to the Indian Spinal Injury Centre in his car, but the boy died during treatment,” added the officer.

Terming it as negligence of the civic body, BJP Councillor from the area, Inderjeet Sherawat, said, “In a month, I have complained to the MCD department multiple times to catch stray dogs from the area, but the department said they do not have the logistics to the strays as their contract hasn’t been renewed.”

It is to be noted that the number of dog bites almost doubled between 2012 and 2020, according to Indian government data.  “India has this odd balance where the protection of the dog is supreme and this comes at the expense of a public health standpoint,” says Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of One Health Trust, an Indian public health research body reportedly told The Telegraph. “There needs to be more common sense, where we protect animals but also spay, neuter and vaccinate them.”

More than 6.8 million Indians were bitten by stray dogs in 2020, according to Indian government data, up from 3.9 million in 2012. Yet the latest figures are still believed to be a considerable undercount.

Rabies proves fatal if not treated immediately with vaccination.  “India has the highest rabies burden in the world and it is because of the street dogs who are protected quite strongly by law. But these same street dogs cause tens of thousands of bites in major Indian cities every day,” says Laxminarayan.

-INDIA NEWS STREAM