GUNTUR: A four-year-old boy was killed after a stray dog attacked him near his house in IDWA Nagar, close to Swarnabharati Nagar, on Sunday. The boy, Isaac, was returning from Sunday school when the dog bit his neck, damaging the jugular vein and causing massive blood loss. Doctors at Guntur Government Hospital (GGH) declared him brought dead.
Guntur Government General Hospital Superintendent Dr SV Ramana said, “The jugular veins were damaged in the attack, and he lost a large volume of blood.”
Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Dr P Narayana expressed shock over the incident and directed district in-charge Collector Bhargava Teja and GMC Commissioner Puli Srinivasulu to gather details. Commissioner Srinivasulu met Isaac’s parents, Rani and Nagaraju, at the hospital and conveyed the government’s condolences.
The Commissioner also said a Deputy Commissioner-rank officer would investigate the incident and added that negligent officials would face strict action. Special teams were deployed to capture stray dogs in the area.
Srinivasulu said stray dog control was disrupted after complaints by activists to the Central Animal Welfare Board. Some GMC workers were assaulted by persons posing as animal lovers, and police complaints were filed.
To tackle the issue, GMC is setting up an ABC centre at Thakkellapadu with a Rs 47 lakh budget.
The civic chief also blamed illegal meat sales and roadside dumping for worsening the stray dog menace.