In a heartbreaking incident, a four-year-old boy named Isaac was fatally attacked by a stray dog near his home in IDWA Nagar, close to Swarnabharati Nagar in Guntur on Sunday, April 7.
According to officials, the child was returning home after attending Sunday school prayers when the dog suddenly lunged at him and bit him on the neck. The attack damaged his jugular vein, resulting in heavy blood loss. Despite efforts to save him, Isaac was declared brought dead at the Guntur Government Hospital (GGH).
Speaking to The New Indian Express, GGH Superintendent Dr SV Ramana said, "The dog attacked directly on the neck. The jugular veins were damaged and he lost a huge amount of blood."
In response to the tragedy, Andhra Pradesh Municipal Administration Minister Dr P Narayana expressed deep sorrow. He immediately contacted district in-charge Collector Bhargava Teja and GMC Commissioner Puli Srinivasulu to gather full details.
Following the minister's instructions, Commissioner Srinivasulu visited Isaac's grieving parents, Rani and Nagaraju, at the hospital and conveyed the government's condolences, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
"The government will stand firmly with the family during this difficult time," he assured.Commissioner Srinivasulu also announced that a Deputy Commissioner-level official would conduct a thorough investigation. "Those found responsible for negligence will face strict action," he said.
Special teams have been deployed to capture stray dogs in and around Swarnabharati Nagar. The commissioner admitted that the municipality faces challenges in stray dog population control.
Efforts were earlier disrupted following complaints to the Central Animal Welfare Board by animal activists, leading to a temporary halt in Animal Birth Control (ABC) operations. Additionally, GMC workers faced physical attacks from certain individuals posing as animal lovers, for which police complaints have been filed.
To strengthen the city's response, GMC is establishing a new ABC centre near the old filtration plant in Thakkellapadu with a Rs 47 lakh budget. The Commissioner also highlighted how illegal meat sales and roadside waste dumping have worsened the stray dog issue, according to the report by The New Indian Express.
"When food sources become scarce, dogs become aggressive and such tragic incidents occur," he noted.Authorities have assured the public that strong and sustained measures will be taken to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
