Man injured in dog attack at Assagao, pet owner booked

Panaji: Police have booked Sham Govekar, a resident of Badem in Assagao, Bardez, after a neighbour filed a complaint that Govekar’s dog attacked him. Complainant Sunil Salgaonkar, a neighbour of the accused, said that the incident took place at around 10.15pm on Wednesday.

Salgaonkar said his brother Vinil, 40, was returning home at Badem, when the accused’s rottweiler, kept unleashed, approached the victim and bit him on his left leg. The complainant said the dog owner failed to take precautions to prevent the probable danger to human life as a result of the dog attack.

“My neighbour has a rottweiler. We used to remain alert about the dog. The incident happened when I was coming home around 10.15pm. The dog was without its leash and the owner was next to the dog. When I saw it without the leash, I got a bit scared but continued walking towards home. However, the dog approached me and I thought it would sniff me and leave. But it bit me, causing me injury,” said the victim.

Complainant Sunil said that govt should take strict action against those keeping such ferocious dogs as pets. “The incident took place on a common walkway in the area. The dog has tried to attack others earlier too and we had warned the owner earlier about it. He has kept a ferocious dog even though his house is without a compound wall and is not a gated property. Govt and the animal husbandry department should take a serious note of such ferocious dog owners.”