A total of 17 out of the 35 dog bite victims were administered immunoglobulin to reduce the effects of inflammatory conditions involving the immune system, according to a civic doctor. Narrating their ordeals, victims recounted being attacked by a stray dog while walking on the road
The victims, including children, were rushed to the hospital. Pics/Hanif Patel
A stray dog caused widespread panic in Vasai by aggressively attacking nearly three dozen pedestrians within two hours in the Parnaka area late Saturday evening. The dog bit children and elderly people, leaving them with bleeding injuries. In its frenzy, it tore clothes and even muscle with its strong bite force.
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The corridors of DM Petit hospital were crowded with dog bite victims, many bleeding profusely and some with grievous injuries. The anguished cries of injured children filled the air as they awaited treatment, while adult victims examined their torn clothes and bleeding wounds.
A total of 17 out of the 35 dog bite victims were administered immunoglobulin to reduce the effects of inflammatory conditions involving the immune system, according to a civic doctor. Narrating their ordeals, victims recounted being attacked by a stray dog while walking on the road.
Advocate Mridula Khedekar, one of the victims, said, “I had gone to the market to buy vegetables on Saturday evening when a stray dog suddenly pounced on my leg and bit me. I rushed to the hospital and learned that at least 20 others had already been bitten by the same dog. While I was waiting for my turn for treatment, another 12 people came in.”
“The stray dog attacked everyone, including a young girl and elderly people. One of the victims had his muscle severely torn,” she added.
Local residents and social workers accused the Vasai Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) of ignoring serious civic issues, alleging that the dog sterilisation program in the area has been neglected.
“The municipal corporation has not taken any initiative to curb the menace of dog bites in Vasai-Virar and Nalasopara, where the number of stray dogs is increasing exponentially,” Khedekar alleged.
“If you visit a government hospital for treatment, there are no proper doctors or nurses at the facility. The municipal corporation must immediately take action to control the stray dog population, as back-to-back dog bite incidents have created terror in the area,” she added.
Panicked bystanders in Vasai West scrambled for safety as the dog continued its rampage. When the situation spiralled out of control, municipal corporation officials finally acted, capturing the stray dog in the dead of night.
An elderly victim, Ramesh Pujari, shared his ordeal, “I was heading home after closing my shop late Saturday evening when the stray dog suddenly attacked me and bit my leg. The bite was so aggressive that I had to use my other leg to fend it off. Before me, around 31 people had already reached the hospital with similar injuries.”
Ashwin Kannaujia, the father of an eight-year-old girl attacked by the dog, said, “She was playing in the area when a white stray dog came and bit her. When she fell, the dog continued to chew on her. It was a horrible situation.”
Those bitten were rushed to the hospital, with some requiring stitches and others being assessed for potential infections, including rabies.
When contacted, the Medical Officer of Health (MoH) of VVCMC, Bhakti Choudhari, said, “The dog bite victims were treated at the hospital. Seventeen of them had more serious injuries and were administered immunoglobulin injections. All the patients were sent home after receiving appropriate medical care.”
Dec 21
Day of the incident
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