Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court Takes Suo Motu Cognizance Of Increasing Dog Bite Cases In Ladakh

The Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh has taken suo motu note of the increasing number of dog bite cases in Ladakh and initiated a public interest litigation (PIL) on the issue.

The division bench of Chief Justice N. Kotiswar Singh and Justice Sanjay Dhar has directed the Ladakh administration to file a response to the PIL within two weeks.

The court noted that the registered dog bite cases in Ladakh have drastically increased from 854 in 2017 to 2229 in 2022, and about 220 people were reportedly bitten by dogs in January 2023 alone. The court expressed its concern that this drastic surge in the cases has not only created fear among the local population but also among the tourists visiting Ladakh.

Observing that the street dogs are attacking wild herbivores, which is of grave concern for the local people and cattle owners, the bench issued a notice to the Commissioner/Secretary, Union Territory of Leh-Ladakh; Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry; Deputy Commissioner, Kargil; chairmans of Municipal Committee, Leh and Kargil; Director, Health Services, Kargil, and Member Secretary, Ladakh Legal Services Authority.

The court will hear the matter on April 19.

Case Title: Court On Its Own Motion Vs UT of Ladakh.

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