Hyderabad: 5-year-old boy mauled to death by stray dogs
In a heart-wrenching incident, a five-year-old boy was reportedly mauled to death by stray dogs in Amberpet, Hyderabad, on Sunday. The incident came to the fore after terrifying visuals of the incident captured by a CCTV camera went viral on social media. The child, named Pradeep, had accompanied his father, a security guard, to his workplace at a housing society when he was attacked.
Child succumbed to dog bite injuries on way to hospital
The boy was walking near the housing society when stray dogs came and attacked him, leaving him severely injured, said reports. The father, on hearing his cries, rushed to the spot and took him to a nearby hospital, where he was declared brought dead. Meanwhile, the police said the family has not registered any complaint so far.
Graphic video: Incident caught on CCTV camera
Incident puts spotlight on dog menace issue
The incident brought the stray dog issue to the limelight once again, with netizens demanding action from authorities. Moreover, the tragedy occurred only two weeks after a four-year-old boy died in Gujarat's Surat after being mauled by stray dogs. The problem of frequent stray dog attacks also reached the Bombay High Court, which has emphasized the need for stray dog neutering, grooming, and vaccination.
India highly vulnerable to dog menace: WHO
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 20,000 people die annually due to rabies in India. Furthermore, India is responsible for 36% of global rabies deaths. In 2021 alone, it recorded over 17 lakh dog bite incidents. According to the 2019 Livestock Census, there are approximately 1.6 crore street dogs in India, with Uttar Pradesh having the highest number of strays.
