SC Addresses Street Dog Menace After Lawyer’s Appeared with Injured Hand in Court

The issue of street dog attacks came to the forefront during a Supreme Court hearing when a lawyer appeared with a bandage.

CJI Chandrachud noticed the lawyer’s bandaged hand in court and inquired about the circumstances leading to his injury. The lawyer explained that he had been surrounded and bitten by five street dogs. When the CJI asked if he needed medical assistance, the lawyer confirmed and received the offer.

The CJI also mentioned another incident in which a law clerk, while parking his car, was attacked by a dog.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta echoed the gravity of the problem and informed the court about a tragic incident in Uttar Pradesh where a child was bitten by dogs and subsequently developed rabies. Despite medical efforts, the child could not be saved and tragically passed away in his father’s arms.

Earlier, on September 6, in Ghaziabad, a 14-year-old boy, out of fear, concealed a dog bite from his parents for over a month. He tragically died of rabies, emphasizing the urgent need to address the issue of stray dog attacks.

According to police reports, the incident occurred in the Vijay Nagar police station jurisdiction in Ghaziabad. The child’s family revealed that he had kept the incident hidden for an extended period due to fear of his parents. Relatives of the deceased emphasized that stray dogs frequently attack people due to being unrestrained, and they have lodged a complaint with the police.

“The dogs are not leashed and they attack anyone, and this is not the first incident. We have registered a complaint, and the police are looking into the matter,” said a relative of the deceased.