Union Minister for Culture, Tourism and Development of Northeast Region G. Kishan Reddy on Monday accused the State government and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) of apathy, negligence and violation of established rules in the death of four-year-old Pradeep, who died after a pack of stray dogs attacked him at Bagh Amberpet a few days ago.
The Minister, also the Secunderabad MP, visited the boy’s family and consoled the parents. He also handed over to them ₹1 lakh as ex gratia from his personal funds and ₹1 lakh from party corporators and promised to take care of the education expenses of the couple’s daughter, Meghana.
The boy’s father, Gangadhar, narrated the horrific event to Mr. Reddy and the local corporator. “The boy was crying after having been attacked by the dogs. My daughter tried to help, but another dog came towards her when she started to scream. I first tried to call an ambulance but realised that it was going to take time and took the wailing boy on a bike to the hospital,” he said.
Mr. Gangadhar sought to know why the State government washed its hands of the incident by giving them a paltry compensation. “They should have done more and taken care of the family, giving more compensation,” he told media persons later in the day. Both the government and the municipal corporation should do more to prevent such attacks and save children from a burgeoning stray-dog population, he added.
Mr. Reddy said children living in slums always played on roads as they do not have playgrounds. “But, I see only stray dogs everywhere. GHMC is conducting sterilisations here and leaving the dogs here itself, instead of taking them back to where they had been captured,” he alleged.
“Stray dogs should be caught on a war-footing and the sterilisations should be carried out away from populated areas. GHMC cannot be doing a perfunctory work on this by appointing committees as people in the twin cities are scared after this incident,” said the Minister.
