Harish Rao flags concerns over rising dog bite cases

Hyderabad: BRS leader T Harish Rao on Wednesday attacked the government, alleging negligence in the dog bite cases leading to children continuing to fall victim to dog attacks in the State.

Harish Rao said that the horrifying news of stray dogs brutally attacking and killing a helpless infant has shaken his core. “Despite such tragic, heartbreaking incidents, the Congress government remains indifferent. It is shocking that the government stays unmoved while children in the State are falling victim to dog bites. This is not just negligence—it’s an outright disregard for human life,” said Harish Rao. He also said that this year alone, over 60,000 dog bite cases were reported, leading to the loss of innocent lives. Families were left devastated by these tragic, preventable deaths, he added.

Harish Rao said that the situation had worsened by the government’s failure to control the stray dog population or ensure that life-saving anti-rabies injections are available in public hospitals. Sanitation has collapsed across the State, with garbage piling up in the streets, contributing to the growing stray dog menace. Municipal authorities and the Urban Development Department have failed to act, and this failure is costing lives. There are over two million stray dogs across Telangana, with more than one million in the GHMC area alone. This highlights the government’s complete failure in managing this crisis. “We also demand that the State government follow the precedents set by the Haryana and Punjab High Courts by providing Rs five lakh compensation to the families of those who die from dog bites and Rs 50,000 to those who were injured. The government must ensure that all public hospitals provide immediate treatment for dog bite victims, and that anti-rabies injections are available at all primary health centres and hospitals,” said Harish Rao, demanding the government to set up committees to manage the stray dog population and immediately launch sterilisation drives in every village and town.

Harish Rao congratulated the people of Telangana, stating that the State has achieved a historic milestone, becoming the only State in India to have a medical college in every district. With the recent approval of four new medical colleges, Telangana now has 34 government medical colleges, a remarkable transformation from just five before Telangana’s formation.