Bangalore: An 18-month-old child was killed by street dogs in the wee hours of Wednesday.
Around 5am, a snarling pack of 15 stray dogs dragged the sleeping 18-month-old S Prashanto out of his hut and mauled him to death near Bagalur off the Bangalore International Airport road, TOI reported.
Police arrested Gonti Yadav alias Chandrasen, around whom the stray dogs live, and charged him under IPC sections 289 and 304 (A), which deal with negligence towards animals. Police also caught one of the stray dogs which mauled the baby. “We’ll hand it over to BBMP officials” said inspector Babu Anjinappa.
And I wonder what the officials will ‘officially’ do with the canine — banish it to a lifeterm in prison or hang it till death?
Although the authorities are keen to terminate the menace of canines and clear the streets of them, animal rights groups oppose any such move. I wonder why.
I don’t know how to avoid such incidents or induce social responsibility, but after reading such a story for the umpteenth time, I just wanted to ask one question to those animal lovers who stop the government from taking any measure — Whose life is more important for you? A street dog’s or your child’s?
PS: A billboard near Chinnaswami Stadium reads: “Save your children from stray dogs”. Is that all we can expect from the authorities?
Speedster 