A 55-year-old resident died after a pet dog in the neighbourhood reportedly mauled him near his neighbour’s home in Jafferkhanpet on Tuesday. The family members and neighbours watched as Karunakaran collapsed and died instantly, as the pit bull mauled him.
The victim’s sister, Kannima, said the residents had already complained to the police a few months ago about the ferocious dog and had demanded shifting of the animal from the residential area. “The pet owner, Poongodi, is responsible for my brother’s death. She was determined not to shift the ferocious dog from the area. She owned a bigger house in another area, but she shifted to this small house alone and claimed that the dog was protecting her from her sons who used to quarrel with her. When the senior police officials from R6 police station arrived a few months ago, following our complaint, Poongodi had objected to shifting of the dog from the area. She had political support. My brother would not have died had the dog been shifted based on our complaint a few months ago,” she said.
Victim’s niece K.Padmavathi said, “The dog had a ferocious temper. On Tuesday, around 2.30 p.m. we heard the dog’s owner Poongodi screaming after the animal attacked her. As my uncle rushed to her doorstep to rescue her, the dog mauled him, biting him in his genital area and refused to let go. He collapsed instantly. We could not control the animal.”
Later, Chennai Corporation veterinary officials came to the spot and captured the animal using nets.
As blood stains and fragmented muscle tissues were found splattered across the narrow street leading to the dog owner’s house at the site, Chennai Corporation workers sanitised the area.
Poongodi has also been admitted to the hospital with injuries. As the dog could not be controlled by residents and the police, GCC ward 139 councillor P.Subramani alerted the Chennai Corporation veterinary officials who captured the dog after 4 p.m. A veterinary team for the Corporation picked up the dog and took it to the Kannamapet dog shelter. Local residents have demanded that the Chennai Corporation to regulate the breeding of ferocious dog breeds to prevent such incidents. A senior police official said a case has been registered against the owner for negligence and she would be arrested once she is discharged from the hospital.
The civic body has already been exploring the feasibility of regulating the breeding of ferocious breeds of dogs in the city, officials said.
