High Court Pulls Up Civic Body After Hyderabad Boy Mauled To Death By Dogs

The Telangana High Court on Wednesday initiated a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) over the gruesome death of a five-year-old boy who was mauled to death by stray dogs in Hyderabad on Sunday.

The High Court blamed "negligence" on part of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for the boy's death and asked the municipal body what steps are being taken to curtail incidents of stray dog attacks. The High Court expressed condolences for the five-year-old's death and assured that it would look into the matter of compensation for his family.

Notices have been issued by the High Court to the Chief Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Department Principal Secretary, GHMC Commissioner, GHMC Deputy Commissioner (Amberpet), GHMC Veterinary Officer, Hyderabad District Collector and Member Secretary of Telangana State Legal Services Authority.

The next hearing has been scheduled for March 16, the High Court said.

Meanwhile, the GHMC held a series of emergency meetings to streamline an action plan. 

• Intensifying animal birth control protocol to achieve 100 per cent sterilisation of stray dogs.
• Strict action against illegal dumping of raw meat and food waste by meat shops and hotels respectively.
• Drinking water facility for street dogs as water stress creates panic and can make them ferocious.
• Mobile app to track pet shops, pets and their owners.
• Targetted strategy for areas with dense dog population.

On Sunday, a pack of stray dogs surrounded a five-year-old boy, Pradeep, and mauled him to death. Visuals of the incident were captured by CCTVs installed in the car workshop compound in Amberpet locality where the boy's father worked as a security guard.

In the videos, the dogs were seen attacking the boy who was walking alone. Unrelenting, the stray dogs kept tearing at the boy, with no one in sight to come to his rescue. The five-year-old suffered serious injuries in the attack and was rushed to the hospital by his father and others where he was declared brought dead.

Footage of the attack, which went viral on social media, provoked huge public outcry, with many demanding stricter action to curb the menace of stray dogs.