11-yr-old B'luru boy succumbs to injuries days after he was attacked by street dogs

In a tragic incident, Praveen, an 11-year-old studying in Class 6, succumbed to injuries on Saturday, two days after he was attacked by a pack of stray dogs in Vibhutipura in Bengaluru. He was rescued by a security guard.

On August 29, Praveen was returning home from school when a group of 10 dogs attacked him, injuring him badly. He was admitted to Manipal Hospital for treatment, but passed away on September 1.

In a press release, Dr Anoop Amarnath, chief of clinical services, at the hospital said, “We regret to inform the demise of an 11-year-old boy at the paediatric ICU of our hospital at 8.30 pm on Saturday. He was on advanced life support systems, including ECMO and CRRT. He had septic shock and multi-organ failure. Our deepest condolences to the entire family.”

It was earlier reported that two Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials were arrested  for alleged negligence that led to the incident. The duo has been booked under Section 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal) and Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code.

Read: 3 BBMP officials arrested after 11-yr-old Bengaluru boy attacked by stray dogs

City Mayor Sampath Raj who had visited the hospital on Friday had promised that the BBMP would pay for the medical expenses of Praveen. Following his death, the BBMP announced an additional Rs 5 lakh as compensation to his family.

Despite multiple incidents of citizens being attacked by stray dogs, the BBMP, like in several other fronts, has not been proactive in solving the problem.

According to its own data, which is contested by experts, 1.7 lakh cases of dog bites were registered in the last 9 years. The Animal Birth Control scheme by the BBMP has come to a halt as several irregularities have come to the fore, including the civic body not paying the NGO running the centre.

Read: Three BBMP officials booked for allegedly botching up birth control in stray dogs

In fact, the Joint Director  of Animal Husbandry Department G Anand himself was  charged under Section 11 (1) (mutilation or killing any animal in a cruel manner) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal Act-1960  and Section 428 (committing mischief of killing animal) and 34 (criminal act by several people) of the Indian Penal Code recently.