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A 48-year-old daily wage worker died on Tuesday, August 19, after being attacked by a neighbour’s pet dog in Chennai. The dog also attacked its owner, leaving her seriously injured.
The deceased has been identified as Karunakaran, a resident of VSM Garden Street in Jafferkhanpet. According to reports, around 3 pm, while he was on his way to a public toilet in the narrow lane, his neighbour Poongodi’s dog, a pit bull, slipped its leash and attacked him.
The dog attack left Karunakaran with grievous injuries, causing severe bleeding. The owner, Poongodi, who tried to restrain the animal, was also bitten on her hand and leg. Neighbours rushed to help and alerted authorities, but Karunakaran died within half an hour due to heavy blood loss.
The police have registered the case against the owner, Poongodi, under Sections 106 (causing death by negligence) and 291 (negligent conduct concerning animals) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Karunakaran's body was taken to the Government Hospital in KK Nagar for a postmortem, while Poongodi was admitted to the same hospital.
Following the attack, officials from the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC), including its veterinary team, captured the dog and shifted it to the Kannamapet Animal Birth Control centre. The animal will be sequestered until further instructions from the Animal Welfare Board. Earlier this month, a seven-year-old girl was injured in Tondiarpet after being attacked by a neighbour’s pit bull.
It may be noted that the pit bull dogs are among 23 breeds whose sale, breeding and import were banned by the Union government in 2024, citing safety concerns. However, the Madras High Court granted an interim stay on enforcing the ban.