A 12-year-old boy was hospitalised after a pet Rottweiler attacked him while he was cycling near his home in Mahadevapura, Bengaluru, prompting police to register a case against the dog's owner and family.
The incident occurred on June 13 at around 2:30 pm. The boy, son of resident Vipin, was riding his bicycle on the street when a Rottweiler belonging to neighbour Shyam allegedly ran out through the gate of its house and bit him on the right hip. His screams drew nearby residents, who rushed over and pulled him away from the dog. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.
A dispute followed. Vipin confronted Shyam's family over how the dog had gotten loose. Shyam's wife, Vijayalakshmi, reportedly denied responsibility, claiming the boy had provoked the animal. As the disagreement escalated, Vipin approached the police.
The Mahadevapura Police have registered a case against the dog's owner and family. The charges relate to negligence and criminal intimidation. As of today, no arrest has been confirmed, and the investigation is ongoing.
The case fits a wider pattern in the city. In February, a Rottweiler mauled 31-year-old techie Shalini Dubey during her morning walk in HSR Layout, leaving her needing over 80 stitches and an eight-hour surgery; the dog's owner, Amaresh Reddy, was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions and taken into custody.
In December, a landlord and son in Subramanyapura were booked for allegedly setting a pet pit bull on two men.
Karnataka recorded 2.81 lakh dog bite cases in the first seven months of last year, a 37 per cent rise year-on-year, with Bengaluru Urban among the worst-hit districts.
A March 2024 central government circular sought to restrict breeding and sale of 23 "ferocious" breeds, including Rottweilers, but the Karnataka High Court quashed it, citing flawed consultation.
The court didn't declare such dogs safe to leave unrestrained; instead, it pushed the onus onto "responsible pet ownership," holding owners liable for injuries regardless of breed.
This article was written by a student interning with TNM.