Noida: Woman says injured in attack by five strays in society’s basement

NOIDA: A Paras Tierra resident said on Monday she was seriously injured, with a fracture on her right arm and bite marks, after five stray dogs attacked her while was walking in the basement of her society in Sector 137.
Tina Kaushik shared a video on social media, narrating the incident and seeking guidance to relocate the dogs in the society.
She told TOI the incident took place on Sunday.
She had stepped out of the lift to go to a shop in the society when a brown stray dog came towards her and started barking at her. “More dogs joined in. Without any provocation, the dogs jumped on me and I fell on my face. They then clawed on my back and started biting. I screamed for help and a few security guards saved me,” Kaushik said.
She added that she fractured her wrist due to the fall and has to get a surgery that will cost Rs 80,000. She also said she would have to spend eight days in hospital.
The incident once again triggered a debate on relocation of stray dogs from residential areas and on feeding spots.
According to the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, it is illegal for an individual or any group to relocate or remove street dogs. The Delhi high court, in an order last year, had said that a citizen had the right to feed dogs at their private entrance, if the act did not cause harassment to anyone else. It had asked authorities to decide designated feeding spots in localities. This May, the Supreme Court too upheld the HC’s ruling.
In the video shared online, Kaushik said the dogs should be removed, and if needed, they can be relocated to a shelter. “I’m also a dog lover… but no one can be above humans,” she said.
She also said she had been complaining to the society’s management about removing dangerous dogs. “But nothing has been done,” she said, demanding that the society should pay for her treatment costs and escalate the matter to the police. When asked, police officials said the matter is in the jurisdiction of the administration.
The Apartment Owners’ Association of the society said there are about 35 dogs in the residential complex, and this was the 8th incident of dog bite in the last two months.
“We have asked the maintenance team several times to deal with these dogs and designate feeding points for them outside the society. Several dog bite incidents have been reported in the society, but nothing has been done,” said Col. Ramesh Gautam (retd), the president of Paras Tierra AOA.
Noida Authority officials said they have already asked all AOAs and RWAs to work on consensus about designated feeding points. These can be supported and maintained by the Authority if they are located in common areas of the city or outside the societies in the green belts, officials said.
“We are also looking into whether there are any aggressive dogs in any area. Residents can inform us about the dogs. We will pick them up and keep them in the dog shelter in Sector 94 till there is a behavioural change in them. We cannot remove a dog permanently as it is against SC orders,” said Indu Prakash, officer on special duty, Noida Authority.
Watch Noida: Stray dogs attack woman in society’s basement, wrist fractured