Lawyer's Injury Due To Dog Attack Sparks Discussion On Stray Dog Issue In Supreme Court; CJI Urged To Take Suo Motu Cognizance

The Supreme Court today witnessed a courtroom exchange on the growing 'street dog menace' in the country. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud expressed concerns  when he noticed an injury on a counsel's arm and inquired about its cause. What began as a simple inquiry quickly evolved into a discussion on the growing menace of street dogs in the country's neighbourhoods.

The exchange started when CJI DY Chandrachud observed an injury on a counsel's arm and asked about the circumstances that led to it. The counsel replied, "Five dogs hounded me."

The Chief Justice, seemingly shocked, inquired further, "In the neighbourhood?"

The counsel affirmed, "Yes."

Expressing concern for the counsel's well-being, CJI Chandrachud offered immediate assistance, stating, "Do you need any medical attention? I can ask the registry to take you right now."

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who was present during the exchange, raised the seriousness of the issue, mentioning a recent incident in Uttar Pradesh where a child was bitten by dogs. Mehta explained that the child was initially not given proper medical attention, and when rabies developed, the child's life was in grave danger. He recounted that the child was ultimately taken to a hospital, but it was too late, and nothing could be done to save their life.

CJI DY Chandrachud shared his own experience, revealing, "Two years ago, my law clerk was parking his car and he was also attacked by street dogs."

As the discussion unfolded, Senior Advocate Vijay Hansaria urged the Chief Justice to take suo moto action to address the "street dog menace" and protect the safety of citizens.

In response, CJI Chandrachud assured that the matter would be considered, stating, "We will see what can be done."

It may be noted that another bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and KV Viswanathan is considering a batch of petitions relating to the street dog issue. The batch case consists of appeals arising from orders passed by, inter alia, Kerala and Bombay High Courts. Recently, an application was filed by the Kannur district panchayat in Kerala seeking a direction to humanely euthanise suspected rabid dogs or extremely dangerous dogs to address the uptick in violent attacks by stray dogs in the area. The case was filed in the wake of an 11-year-old autistic child being mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Kerala’s Kannur district.