The girl, identified as Suraksha, was playing inside the park in Thousand Lights area when the two Rottweilers pounced on her.
The five-year-old, identified as Suraksha, was playing inside the park in Thousand Lights area when the two Rottweilers pounced on her (X)
A five-year-old girl was grievously injured when two pet Rottweiler dogs ferociously attacked her in MOP Park in Chennai’s Nungambakkam on Sunday, 6 May.
The girl, identified as Suraksha, was playing inside the park in Thousand Lights area when the two Rottweilers pounced on her. Three persons including the pet owner have been detained, police said on Monday.
The girl stays with her father Ragu, a watchman of the park, and mother Sonia in a room maintained by the Greater Chennai Corporation.
Ragu, a native of Villupuram district, has been doing maintenance work at the park belonging to the Chennai Corporation, near MOP Vaishnav College.
The owners of the dogs had taken them to play. The unleashed dogs attacked the child while the owners were standing helpless unable to control the animals.
Hearing her screams, Sonia and a few passers-by rushed to the child’s rescue.
Suraksha sustained injuries on her scalp, which was partially ripped, back, arm and legs. The dogs also bit Sonia when she tried to save her daughter.
The girl was rushed to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment presently.
Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner Dr J Radhakrishnan, who visited the girl at the hospital, announced that the civic body would bear the cost of her treatment.
“Three people, including the owner of the two Rottweilers have been detained by the police for inquiry. The GCC would rein in the pet owners who have either not obtained licences from the corporation or sterilised the dogs,” Radhakrishnan said.
“Currently her condition is stable but she is undergoing great pain. Her scalp was ripped for 11 inches and she was bitten in the legs and other places,” Radhakrishnan said.
The civic body would treat the incident as a stray dog menace and act accordingly since it was a clear case of negligence on the part of the pet owner.
“Once her condition stabilised, doctors would decide on taking up plastic surgery on her,” the Commissioner added.
Following a complaint, the police registered a case against the dog owners under Sections 289 (Negligent conduct with respect to animals) and 336 (Act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Police sources said the owners, Pugazhendhi, 60, his wife Dhanalakshmi and their son Venkatasan were arrested.
The police had already warned the family not to unleash their dogs in public places. However, the family didn’t pay heed and let the dogs into the park.
The attack comes less than two months after the union government sent a communication to all state chief secretaries asking them to ban the import or sale of 23 breeds of ferocious dogs including the Pitbull, Rottweiler, Terrier, and Mastiffs and their cross-breeds too.
The Animal Husbandry Ministry has asked states and Union territories to ensure that no licences or permissions are issued for the sale, breeding and keeping of pit bulls and other breeds which are “dangerous for human life”.
The Centre’s recommendation came as a response to the alarming increase in severe and fatal attacks by dogs of these “dangerous” breeds.
Such dangerous dog breeds should be kept in leashes, the Commissioner said. He also warned of stringent action against the pet owners if due licences have not been obtained from the corporation.
(Edited by Shauqueen Mizaj, with PTI inputs)
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