Stray Dog Mauling: The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, India has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports that a two-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in the Tughlak Lane area of New Delhi on 24th February, 2024.
The residents of the area have reportedly said that another child of the family had fallen victim to a similar attack a few months ago. They made several complaints to the authorities about the increasing number of stray dogs and incidents of attack on children but no action was taken.
The Commission has observed the contents of the media report, if true, amount to a grave issue of human rights violation. This is not an isolated case of loss of human life due to attacks by stray dogs in Delhi.
Taking cognizance of the earlier tragic incidents, it had directed the city civic authorities to take all preventive and curative action to control the population of stray dogs as per provisions of the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, issued by the Centre. This latest incident indicates a need to review the prevailing safeguards.
Accordingly, the Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Government of NCT of Delhi, the Commissioner, New Delhi Municipal Corporation and the Commissioner of Police, Delhi, calling for a detailed report within six weeks.
The Government of NCT of Delhi is expected to inform whether any relief has been given to the deceased’s Next of Kin (NoK). The Commissioner of Police, Delhi, is directed to submit the present status of the investigation being conducted after registration of the FIR in the matter.
The Commission has further observed that animal rights are advocated and supported in the same way as human rights. Similar incidents have been reported from many parts of the country in the recent past and as such this is not a problem for any one state or Union Territory.
The situation is grim and alarming, requiring immediate and effective action by the authorities without any delay. The Apex Court has also mentioned in its various pronouncements that there is no ambiguity that a person’s rights to life and health are inalienable. Therefore, there is a need to protect human rights to life.
According to the media reports carried on 26th February, 2024, a function was going on in the locality, due to which the loud music from nearby DJ sessions drowned out the girl’s screams during the attack around 6:00 pm on Saturday. The residents reportedly said that to address the issue they approached the woman known to be feeding stray dogs in the area but instead of cooperating in the matter, they were threatened.
Reportedly, a team of the New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) has also confirmed that some temporary cottages and dog shelters are found to be feeding stray dogs in the area.
