THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Panic gripped residents of Pothencode and Mangalapuram panchayats on Monday after a suspected rabid dog went on a biting spree, leaving nine people, including two children, injured.
The first incident occurred around 6.30 am when the dog attacked a four-year-old child in Thonakkal ward of Mangalapuram panchayat. The child’s grandfather, who rushed to her rescue, was also severely injured in the attack.
In Mangalapuram, four people — Babu Pillai, 65, Dakshina, 4, Jalajakumari, 57, and Rajesh, 54 — were injured. In the neighbouring Pothencode grama panchayat, five people — Abdul Hameed, 64, Salman Kasmi, 38, Fathima, 6, Fazhiludhin, 72, and Arun, 35, — were attacked in Kalloor area.
“My grandchild was unwell, and we had stepped outside to brush our teeth. The dog came out of nowhere and pounced on her. I intervened to separate them and, in the process, was badly bitten,” said Babu Pillai, who suffered serious injuries while protecting his granddaughter. The child suffered multiple injuries on her head and face and underwent treatment at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital.
Pillai alleged that the panchayat authorities failed to respond to the crisis.
“There has been complete apathy. Neither the panchayat secretary nor the president contacted us. Only the ward member came forward. The situation is frightening, especially with several schools nearby. I had alerted them about stray menace, but we don’t know whether the panchayat will take action,” he added.
Two more residents of Mangalapuram were bitten before the dog strayed into neighbouring Pothencode, where it injured five others.
S, Thonakkal ward member, said the incident points to a larger issue of strays from city areas being deliberately abandoned.
“Those attacked received timely treatment and were discharged from hospital. Nobody is in danger now. But stray dog numbers have risen sharply, and we strongly suspect that dogs from other parts of the district are being released here,” she said.
Kalloor ward member K R Shinu said the dog went on a rampage in his ward from 9 am.
“We couldn’t get timely help from the veterinary hospital. People were terrified as the dog kept roaming around attacking anyone it saw. Many parents refused to send their children to school today. Many residents even skipped work to join in the effort to track down the dog. Around 5 pm, we found the dog dead,” Shinu said.