The HAL police on Friday arrested two Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials in connection with the incident where an 11-year-old boy was attacked by a pack of stray dogs in Vibhutipura, near KR Puram. The incident took place on Wednesday. Sriram, assistant director of Mahadevapura Zone, Arun Mutalik Desai, a senior inspector of the Animal Husbandry Department of the BBMP, and Ravishankar, a BBMP contractor, were arrested for alleged negligence that led to the incident.
Praveen, a class 6 student, was on his way home from school when he was attacked by 10 stray dogs at Vibhutipura. The incident took place in the afternoon on August 29. According to The Hindu, he sustained several injuries, including damage to his food pipe. “He is in hospital and his condition is critical,” said the police.
The police have registered an FIR after Praveen’s mother, Murugamma, filed a complaint. In her statement, Murugamma accused BBMP of being lax in attending to the problem of stray dogs in her neighbourhood.
Following this, the police booked the three civic officials under Section 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal) and Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others).
On August 29, after leaving the school, Praveen, his elder brother and another boy were playing near the Vibhutipura lake when the dogs chased them. Speaking to the Times of India, Praveen's maternal uncle said that while two of the boys managed to escape, Praveen ran towards the lake area, but the dogs attacked and bit him. "He was rescued by a security guard. Doctors claim the next four days are critical."
After being administered first aid at a government hospital, the boy was rushed to Manipal Hospitals, Old Airport Road.
Dr Sudarshan Ballal, chairman of Manipal Hospitals, took to Twitter to condemn the incident.
V sad 2 c this young boy battling 4 life after being mauled by stray dogs .Hve 2 draw a line between endangering human lives& letting d dangerous dogs roam free Let there b a humane way of controlling this menace @BBMP_MAYOR @BBMPCOMM @anupamarmkrshn0 pic.twitter.com/L74nxveuJX
— Dr Sudarshan Ballal (@drballalmanipal) August 30, 2018