Missing toothmark details delay dog bite relief payout

PANCHKULA: The failure of hospitals and dispensaries in Panchkula to mention the number of toothmarks in medico-legal reports of dog bite cases is delaying compensation under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Antyodaya Parivar Suraksha Yojana (DAYALU-II), being awarded in line with Punjab and Haryana high court directions.

During the second meeting held to consider compensation claims under the scheme, several victims said they had suffered multiple toothmarks, but hospitals had recorded their injuries only as a “dog bite” without clinical details. As compensation is linked to the number of toothmarks, most cases could not be cleared. Of the 11 applications listed, only a negligible number were approved, while the rest were kept pending.

“I was bitten in four different parts of my body and have multiple toothmarks, but the doctors did not mention this in the report. Because of this, my compensation case has been put on hold,” said Pushpa, a resident of Pinjore.

Baljinder Singh, another resident of Pinjore who works in Panchkula and was bitten about 10 days ago, said many victims were affected by the same issue. “The authorities should at least release the minimum compensation of Rs 10,000 per bite and keep the rest pending. There was no clarity after the meeting about my case,” he said.

Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 25, said about eight of the 11 cases considered had only “dog bite” mentioned in the medical papers, with no detailed clinical investigation report. “This made the injuries appear like single-tooth cases even though most victims had multiple marks. All such cases have been deferred for verification by the civil hospital team,” he said.

Gupta also flagged lack of awareness. “Over 10,000 dog bite cases were reported in the district last year, yet only 11 claimants came forward. This raises questions about whether the procedure is too complex or whether people are unaware that compensation can be claimed,” he said, calling for training workshops for doctors on detailed medical reporting.

DC Satpal Sharma said compensation approvals had begun. “In cases where toothmarks are not mentioned, reports have been referred to the civil surgeon. After medical re-examination, all eligible victims will be given compensation,” he said.

Under the amended DAYALU-II scheme, victims are entitled to a minimum of Rs 10,000 per toothmark. In cases where flesh is pulled off, compensation is fixed at Rs 20,000 per 0.2 cm of wound. The provision was incorporated following high court directions in 2023. The first meeting had ended without clearing any case due to lack of clarity on the compensation criteria.

According to Civil Hospital data, 14,230 dog bite cases were reported in Panchkula in 2025, compared to 10,875 in 2024 and 10,161 in 2023.