DEHRADUN: An elderly woman is battling for her life after two Rottweilers owned by a neighbour leapt over a boundary wall and mauled her while she was walking to a local temple in Dehradun’s Rajpur area, police said on Monday. Kaushalya Devi, 66, suffered deep lacerations to her head, hands, legs and ear, as well as fractures in two bones, and required nearly 200 stitches. The domestic help managed to bring the dogs back inside following the attack.Devi was initially treated at Shri Mahant Indresh Hospital before being referred to another facility for surgery on her hand and ear, which was almost ripped off in the attack, which occurred around 4am on Sunday.
Nafees Ahmed, owner of the dogs, had left them at the house of his friend, Mohammed Zaid, from where the dogs had pounced at the woman. At the time of the incident, Zaid was not present at the house and only a domestic help was there.Ahmed has been detained by police for questioning while Zaid was charged under BNS section 291 (negligent conduct with respect to animals). A police probe is on. Sub-inspector Mukesh Negi, who is overseeing the investigation, said Devi’s son, Umang Nirwal, filed a complaint at Rajpur police station.Dehradun SSP Ajai Singh said Ahmed was detained and brought to the police station for questioning. “We found that Ahmed didn’t have the required license from the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (DMC) to keep the dogs as pets. We will record Devi’s statement once her health permits, and more criminal sections could be added in the case, if needed.”He added that following incidents of attacks on people by pet dogs of dangerous breeds, the department of animal husbandry and dairy under the Central govt had earlier banned the import or breeding of dogs of certain breeds deemed dangerous, including Rottweiler, Cane Corso, Kangal, Pitbull, Pitbull Terrier, Dogo Argentino and Wolfdog.“If any resident in the city is experiencing problems due to dogs of these breeds kept as pet by people in his/her neighbourhood, then they can inform police by calling the emergency number of 112, nearby police station or the DMC office for necessary action,” added Singh.The incident has created widespread outrage in the local community. Residents and corporator Sanjay Nautiyal met Singh and mayor Saurabh Thapliyal to demand strict legal action against Ahmed and Zaid, noting that the same dogs had allegedly attacked four other people previously. Nautiyal told TOI, “In earlier instances, Ahmed either threatened the victims or arranged settlements to avoid police complaints. This time, too, he dismissed their concerns, daring them to take action.”
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