Copyright newskarnataka
A six-year-old boy was seriously injured after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs while returning home from a madrasa in Souharda Nagar, under the Kandavara Gram Panchayat limits in Bajpe, on Thursday morning. Child attacked while walking home from madrasa The injured child has been identified as Ahil, son of Muhammad Azhar, a resident of Souharda Nagar. According to eyewitnesses, the incident occurred when the boy was walking home after attending his morning madrasa classes. A group of stray dogs suddenly surrounded him and bit him on his cheek and hand, leaving him bleeding and traumatised. Hearing his screams, the boy’s mother rushed out of the house and managed to pull him away from the animals. He was immediately taken to the government hospital in Bajpe for first aid and was later shifted to Durga Sanjeevini Manipal Hospital in Kateel for further treatment. Family blames authorities for ignoring repeated complaints Speaking to reporters, Ahil’s uncle Muhammad Muzammil expressed frustration over the repeated inaction by local authorities despite several warnings. “We have been submitting complaints to the Kandavara Gram Panchayat for the past three years asking them to control stray dog attacks, but no action has been taken. Whenever we raise the issue, officials say they can’t act because of court restrictions on killing stray dogs,” Muzammil said. Residents claim the number of stray dogs in the locality has increased sharply over the last few months, posing a daily threat to children and elderly people. Locals allege that while dog sterilisation drives have been announced in neighbouring areas, Souharda Nagar continues to remain neglected. Stray dog menace on the rise across coastal Karnataka Incidents involving stray dog attacks have become alarmingly frequent in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts. In recent months, several cases of children and pedestrians being bitten have been reported from residential areas and near schools. Animal welfare officials have often cited legal restrictions on euthanising stray dogs following Supreme Court directives, which emphasise sterilisation and vaccination instead of culling. However, residents argue that poor implementation of these programmes has allowed the population to grow unchecked. Local authorities urged to act Following Thursday’s incident, members of the local community have urged the Kandavara Gram Panchayat and Mangaluru City Corporation to take immediate steps, including large-scale sterilisation, vaccination, and relocation of aggressive strays. Authorities have promised to send a veterinary team to survey the area and capture the dogs involved in the attack. Police officials have also advised residents to remain cautious, especially around early morning and evening hours when stray dog activity is reportedly higher. A reminder of the urgent need for coordinated action The Bajpe incident once again underscores the growing urban stray dog crisis across India’s cities and towns. While animal welfare remains an essential responsibility, the safety of citizens — particularly children — must be prioritised through a humane and coordinated approach involving civic bodies, animal rights groups, and public health authorities.
