Nagpur stray dog menace: Bombay HC slams police, NMC after child dies fleeing canine
On 14th July, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court sharply criticised the Nagpur Police and Municipal Corporation (NMC) for their “consistent inaction” on the stray dog menace. The criticism by the court came days after a minor boy tragically fell to his death from a sixth-floor balcony while running from a stray dog in Kalamna.
The bench, comprising Justice Anil Kilor and Justice Manohar Nerlikar, was hearing a 2022 PIL by activist Vijay Talewar. The bench asked the authorities, “How many times must we repeat ourselves?” The PIL has sought sustained action on increasing stray dog attacks across Nagpur city.
Senior counsel Firdos Mirza appeared for the petitioner and flagged the boy’s death as a glaring example of administrative apathy. He told the court, “Under the Mumbai Police Act, the police are duty-bound to prevent such public nuisances. But no concrete preventive mechanism seems to exist.” He asserted that more lives could be lost if authorities continue to shirk their responsibility.
The court, during the hearing, noted that its earlier directives dated 20th October and 23rd November in 2023 had clearly outlined steps for prevention. However, the court found no evidence of compliance.
The court has directed both the police commissioner of the city and the municipal commissioner to submit affidavits detailing the action taken so far, including compliance with past orders, by 23rd July. The next hearing of the matter is scheduled for 25th July.
The judges also sought a clarification on the availability of anti-rabies vaccines in the city. While Mirza cited a persistent shortage, NMC’s counsel Sudhir Puranik claimed vaccines were adequately stocked. The court ordered the discrepancy to be addressed through a separate affidavit.
The PIL names 15 respondents, including the state and central governments, city police, NMC and animal welfare boards. Additional government pleader Deepak Thakare appeared for the state, while Nandesh Deshpande represented the Centre and Ashwin Deshpande for intervenor Dhantoli Nagrik Mandal.
Notably, the stray dog menace in India has reached an epidemic-level emergency, with over 37 lakh cases reported in 2024 alone. While the Government of India has said that cases of rabies have come down significantly, there are many other diseases that are caused by dog bites. Furthermore, diseases are not the only reason for death by stray dogs. Little children, the elderly, the disabled and other vulnerable members of society succumb to injuries and trauma caused by stray dog attacks. Immediate action needs to be taken at the administrative and judiciary level to control the menace without interference from the Animal Welfare Board and dog lovers.
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