Hyderabad: 5-Year-Old Mauled to Death by Stray Dogs

Hyderabad: A pack of stray dogs has mauled a 4-year-old boy to death in Telangana, a video of which has gone viral sending shock waves. The video shows the dogs suddenly attacking the child while tailing him, and then he falls down. According to a Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) employee, the boy was probably holding a pouch containing some food item when the dogs jumped on him. The terrified child tries to flee, but the dogs close in and knock him down. They then begin pulling on his clothes as the child tries to break free. When he tries to get up, the dogs attack and knock him down. They quickly overcome him and bite him all over. Three smaller dogs can be seen watching as the huge dogs continue to bite the child and pull him to a corner.

The incident, which occurred in Amberpet locality on Sunday was caught on a CCTV camera. The boy had accompanied his father, employed in an automobile showroom, to the area. The victim suffered serious injuries in the attack and was rushed to the hospital by his father and others where he was declared brought dead, they said. The family hails from Nizamabad district in the state. 

A dog-catching drive was undertaken in the area as per the guidelines and as many as 28 street dogs were caught for sterilisation in the last two days, but most of them were found to be sterilised, the official said adding the dogs were subsequently released.  

The regular reports of dog attacks are sparking debates in housing developments about whether strays should be permitted on the premises. Many people have criticised dog owners for feeding the animals. The issue has already reached the courts, with the Bombay High Court emphasising the necessity for a system for neutering, feeding, grooming, and immunisation of stray dogs.

The court made the statement while hearing a petition from tenants of a Mumbai apartment complex demanding that the local civic body designate feeding spots for stray dogs.