Four-year-old Alan Panicker had to undergo a plastic surgery in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Stray dogs have become a source of danger on the streets of Thiruvananthapuram - a grave threat to residents, especially women, children and the elderly.
Four-year-old Alan Panicker had to undergo a plastic surgery in Thiruvananthapuram Medical College after he was bitten by a stray dog in Kollam on Wednesday. At the time, he was playing with his elder brother. His mother who tried to save him, was also bitten on her hands and feet.
"The dog suddenly came running towards the boy and bit off his cheek. When their mother tried to save the boy and kicked the dog, it attacked her," said his uncle Binu Yohanan.
This incident comes three days after a 65-year-old woman died after being attacked by 50 stray dogs in a coastal village Pulluvilla. A man from rural Thiruvananthapuram was hospitalised on Tuesday after he was badly bitten by a stray dog.
The spurt in dog attacks has been on for a few years and the issue has become a matter of debate. It was even raised in the Assembly earlier this year.
While there is a lack of expert dog catchers, trained vets, and a collapsing infrastructural support, a Supreme Court-appointed panel found that poor waste management was one of the main reasons for the rise in the number of stray dogs. A team appointed by the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation traps a dog with a banned technique -- using iron wires instead of dog traps or nets.
At the only government hospital in Thiruvananthapuram authorized to sterilize dogs, doctors operate despite power cuts and no electricity back up. The hospital is understaffed and has poor infrastructure.
"We need staff, technical team, operation theater and better infrastructure to cope with the number of dogs that need to sterilized. The corporation is looking into these and making arrangements," said Nithin, a veterinary doctor.