Stray dog menace comes to centre stage again in AP

VISAKHAPATNAM: On Sunday (December 10), the news of a 70-year-old widow being mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs at Ambedkar Colony (87th ward) of Kurmanapalem in Vizag city sent shock waves across the city and brought to spotlight the stray dog menace. K Santhamma was the latest victim of stray dog menace in city.

However, Duvvada police in Vizag city said they were not aware of the incident and no case was registered. Police said Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is solely responsible for controlling stray dog menace in Vizag city. In the past, there were incidents where stray dogs attacked and even killed people in parts of the state. In most of the dog bite cases, children and elderly people were the victims and most of the cases were reported between April and June.

An 18-month-old girl, Pyla Satwika, died after she was attacked by a pack of stray dogs at Mettavalasa in Srikakulam district in April 2023. When Satwika was playing near her home in the evening, she was dragged by the pack for several feet and killed.

In July 2014, stray dogs mauled a 17-year-old mentally and physically challenged girl, B Mari alias Nookaratnam, to death near Kotha Venkojipalem area under MVP Colony police station limits in Vizag city

On February27, 2010, one B Anuradha gave birth to a baby boy at KG Hospital in Vizag city and the infant was kept in the labour room. The baby was dragged away by a stray dog and was killed.