Hyderabad: A spate of dog bite cases across Telangana has once again put the spotlight on the authorities’ failure to control the stray menace. On Sunday alone, 16 cases were reported from the Parigi municipality in Vikarabad district.Doctors at the Community Health Centre (CHC) said five victims, including two children below 10 and three adults, suffered serious wounds due to dog attacks. They were shifted to Tandur Area Hospital for further treatment. All victims were given anti-rabies vaccines, while doctors said those with severe injuries would be administered immunoglobulin injections by Monday. MLA T Ram Mohan Reddy later visited the Parigi CHC and reviewed the treatment being provided. However, there was confusion over the exact numbers. While the CHC superintendent said only five people had serious wounds, other officials claimed the figure was closer to 10. He clarified that the rest had only come along with the injured to ensure there were no complications. In another incident, six government staffers preparing for the Independence Day festivities at Zilla Parishad High School in Tungaturthi were also bitten by stray dogs inside the campus. Following these back-to-back attacks, human rights lawyer Rama Rao Immaneni filed a petition with the Telangana State Human Rights Commission (TSHRC). The petition sought medical aid and compensation for the injured officials and accountability from the Chief Secretary, who has been named the primary respondent. The Commission has admitted the case for inquiry. The back-to-back incidents highlight the growing public safety risks posed by unchecked stray dog populations in Telangana. Municipalities are supposed to take up birth control drives by sterilising 70 per cent of the dog population. The immunisation has to be taken care of by the district health authorities, including those under TVVP and DME. Parigi municipal commissioner Venkatiah said the town has about 470 stray dogs, of which only 200 — roughly half — have been sterilised and vaccinated. “We have just one Animal Care Centre and it can handle only 20 operations at a time,” he admitted.
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