Shillong, October 29: The death of 49-year-old businessman Parag Desai, son of the owner of the Wagh Bakri Tea Group, has shaken many. He succumbed to a brain hemorrhage caused by a severe head injury incurred while attempting to escape stray dogs outside his residence on October 15.
As per IANS, this unfortunate incident once again underscores the growing issue of street dog attacks in crowded urban settings. Gujarat, in particular, has witnessed a concerning surge in dog bite cases, ranking fifth among Indian states for the highest number of recorded incidents in the past year.
Statistics presented by Professor Satya Pal Singh Baghel, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, reveal that Gujarat reported a staggering 1,69,261 dog bite cases, averaging 464 attacks daily and 19 incidents every hour.
Despite these grim statistics, there is a glimmer of hope, as data indicates a declining trend in dog bite cases in the state. The numbers have dropped from 4.31 lakh in 2020 to 1.92 lakh in 2021, and further decreased to 1.69 lakh in 2022.
However, within Gujarat, Ahmedabad presents a contrasting scenario. Official records from the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) reveal that in 2022, the city reported over 58,000 dog bite incidents, surpassing the 51,000 cases in 2021 by approximately 7,500 cases.
The severity of the situation prompted the Gujarat High Court to comment in March 2023 during a Public Interest Litigation hearing. People were finding it increasingly challenging to go for their morning walks due to the stray dog menace. The court emphasized that it is the primary responsibility of the state’s civic bodies to address the issue of freely roaming stray dogs.
In response, the AMC claimed to be a formal party in the matter, which the court rebuked, stating that it’s the corporation’s primary responsibility to control the stray dog menace. With over 60,000 cases of stray dog bites reported in Ahmedabad alone, it’s clear that this issue extends to various cities across Gujarat.