The HAL police on Friday arrested an assistant director and a senior inspector in the Animal Husbandry Department of the BBMP, as well as a contractor, for alleged negligence which led to an 11-year-old boy being attacked by stray dogs on August 29.
Praveen, a sixth standard student, was on his way home from school in the afternoon when he was attacked by pack of 10 dogs at Vibhutipura. He sustained multiple injuries and damage to his esophagus (food pipe).
“He is in hospital and his condition is critical,” said the police who registered an FIR following a complaint by Praveen’s mother, Murugamma.
In her statement to the police, she accused BBMP officials of neglecting to solve the problem of stray dogs in the neighbourhood.
The police booked the civic officials under Section 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal) and Section 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others). They arrested Dr. Sriram, Assistant Director of Mahadevapura Zone; Arun Mutalik Desai, senior inspector; and Ravishankar, a BBMP contractor.
Large-scale irregularities at ABC centre
A team of civic officials from the Animal Husbandry Department conducted a surprise inspection of Sarvodaya ABC centre at Medi Agrahara in Yelahanka zone and found several boxes of expired medicines that were allegedly supplied to them illegally.
Officials also saw first-hand the cruel treatment meted out to dogs: animals caught a week ago on August 24, were kept under a butterfly net waiting for a veterinarian.
The team found used needles that could prove fatal to the animals. Medical supplies meant only for State-run veterinary hospitals were found with their expiry date labels scratched out.
The officials seized the expired medicines and issued a show cause notice to Sarvodaya centre.
Joint Director (Animal Husbandry) G. Anand, who led the inspection team, refused to comment on the matter.