Kids Dying from Dog Bites: Supreme Court Takes Suo Motu Action After Shocking Rabies Report

The Supreme Court has taken suo motu action after a report revealed many rabies-related deaths caused by stray dog bites, especially affecting children and the elderly. The Court found the issue deeply worrying.

Supreme Court has taken action on its own (suo motu) after a news report showed a big rise in deaths caused by stray dog bites. The top court said it was deeply troubled by this situation.

A Bench of Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan read a detailed article in The Times of India titled 'City hounded by strays and kids pay price', reports Bar and Bench. This article spoke about the growing number of stray dog attacks across India. Many of these attacks led to rabies, a deadly disease.

Children and elderly most affected

The report said that the people most affected by stray dog bites are children and elderly people. Many victims had no time to get proper treatment and sadly died from rabies.

The top court said, "This is a highly disturbing news report. It contains extremely troubling details." The judges added that hundreds of dog bite cases were being reported in both cities and nearby areas.

What did the Court do next?

After reading the report, the court decided to act. It did not wait for anyone to file a complaint. Instead, it treated the issue as a very serious matter and took suo motu cognisance (action without anyone asking).

The judges asked the Court registry to treat this case as a suo motu writ petition. They also ordered the registry to place this matter before Chief Justice of India (CJI) BR Gavai for further steps.

Rise in dog attacks

Rabies is a deadly disease, but it can be prevented if people get the vaccine in time. Still, many poor families do not have easy access to vaccines or hospitals.

The rise in dog attacks has made many parents afraid to send their children outside to play. In some cities, people have even protested for stronger rules on stray dogs.

Now that the top court is involved, strict steps could be taken. The court may ask governments to control the number of stray dogs. It may also suggest better health facilities for dog bite victims.

The Supreme Court has not yet given its full judgment. But the fact that it has taken notice on its own shows that the issue is serious.