Nagpur: The stray dog menace has raised its deadly face again in Nagpur as a 72-year-old woman on a morning walk at Ujjwal Nagar was attacked by a pack of five to six stray dogs on June 16. The attack was so severe that she was hospitalized for three days and now faces a two-month recovery period due to a back fracture sustained while escaping the dogs.
Panpalia’s family and local residents have voiced their frustration and fear over the ongoing stray dog menace. Narendra Panpalia, Rajni’s husband, emphasized that these aggressive dogs are a regular threat to the community. He highlighted that despite numerous complaints, the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has not taken effective action.
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Residents report that there are approximately 20 to 25 stray dogs in the Ujjwal Nagar, Kannamwar Nagar, and surrounding areas on Wardha Road. Many dogs are fed by local hotel owners, which might contribute to their territorial aggression. Narendra recounted the harrowing details of the attack, noting that his wife was bitten extensively and left bleeding on the roadside until help arrived.
The day before Panpalia’s attack, another person in the area was also severely injured by stray dogs and required hospitalization. Such incidents are not isolated; the city has a history of dog attacks and accidents involving stray dogs, leading to ongoing tensions between animal lovers and concerned citizens.
According to a senior NMC official, the civic body has initiated a drive to capture, vaccinate, and sterilize the stray dogs in Ujjwal Nagar. So far, no dogs caught in the area have tested positive for rabies. The official explained that while dogs are unlikely to crave blood, they can become aggressive due to hunger, disease, or feeling threatened. The NMC has sterilized around 22,000 out of an estimated 90,000 stray dogs in the city.
Despite NMC’s efforts, citizens argue that the actual number of stray dogs might be significantly higher and stress the need for a long-term solution. According to protocol, when a dog bite is reported, NMC captures the dog, vaccinates and sterilizes it, and keeps it under observation for about 10 days before releasing it back into the same area.
The stray dog issue in Nagpur remains a significant public safety concern. The recent attack on Rajni Panpalia underscores the urgency for more effective and permanent measures to address the problem and ensure the safety of all residents.
