NIZAMABAD: “I work as a security guard but I was unable to protect my son from a pack of street dogs,” lamented Muthyapu Gangadhar. His four-year-old son, Pradeep, died in the Bagh Amberpet area of Hyderabad on Sunday. The incident happened while two of Gangadhar’s children were visiting him at his workplace.
Speaking to TNIE, Gangadhar mentioned that he took his children to his workplace for the first time since it was a Sunday. “Even though I was alert, a pack of dogs entered the premises and attacked Pradeep. After hearing my daughter’s shouts, I rushed to check what was happening. However, by the time I reached, Pradeep had already sustained grievous injuries. I took him to a private hospital at once but the doctors declared him brought dead,” a sobbing Gangadhar recounted. “My son would always ask me to check for oncoming traffic before crossing the road but he passed away before me,” he remarked.
Gangadhar, who belongs to the fisherman community, learnt AC servicing to support his ageing parents. He worked in one of the Gulf countries for two years before returning to India four years ago. Since then, he has been working as a security guard in Hyderabad to support his family. Though he is a native of Indalwai village in Nizamabad district, he used to live with his wife and their two children in Erukala basti area of Bagh Amberpet.“Pradeep’s untimely demise has come as a shock for me and my wife. It is difficult to assess the amount of time that will be required to recover from this tragedy,” Gangadhar added.
Condolences pour in
The four-year-old’s body was brought to Indalwai village on Monday while the funeral was carried out late at midnight. As news of Pradeep’s death spread, a number of residents and even political leaders visited their house in Indalwai to convey their condolences and extend their support. Darpally Zilla Praja Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) member Bajireddy Jagan visited Gangadhar’s house and conveyed his condolences.