NHRC Issues Notice To Delhi Govt After Two-Year-Old Girl Mauled To Death By Stray Dogs

Residents of the locality have claimed that another child from the same family had been a victim of a similar attack a few months prior.

The NHRC has directed the civic authorities to take necessary preventive measures to manage stray dogs.

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Delhi government and the city's police commissioner concerning the case of a two-year-old girl, who was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in Lutyens' Delhi, officials said on Tuesday.

The NHRC highlighted that this was "not an isolated case" of loss of human life due to attacks by stray dogs in Delhi. The NHRC stated that it had taken "suo motu cognisance of media reports that a two-year-old girl was allegedly mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs in the Tughlak Lane area of New Delhi on 24th February," a report in PTI said.

Tughlak Lane area comes under the jurisdiction of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC).

Residents of the locality have claimed that another child from the same family had been a victim of a similar attack a few months prior. Despite numerous complaints to authorities regarding the growing number of stray dogs and incidents of attacks on children, no action was taken, as per the statement. The NHRC has regarded the media reports as a serious violation of human rights if proven true.

In response to previous tragic incidents, the NHRC had directed the civic authorities of the city to take necessary preventive and curative measures to manage the population of stray dogs as per the provisions of the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules, 2001, issued by the Centre. This latest incident underscores a need to review the prevailing safeguards, the NHRC emphasised.

NHRC Demands Comprehensive Report

The NHRC has issued notices to the chief secretary of the Delhi government, the commissioner of the NDMC, and the commissioner of police, demanding a comprehensive report within six weeks.

Furthermore, the NHRC highlighted that animal rights are to be advocated and protected in the same manner as human rights. Similar incidents have been reported from various parts of the country recently, indicating a nationwide concern rather than a problem specific to one state or Union Territory.

"The situation is grim and alarming, requiring immediate and effective action by the authorities without any delay. The apex court has also mentioned in its various pronouncements that there is no ambiguity that a person's rights to life and health are inalienable. Therefore, there is a need to protect human rights to life," the NHRC report said.

According to media reports carried on February 26, a function was going on in the locality due to which the loud music from nearby DJ sessions drowned out the girl's screams during the attack around 6 pm on Saturday.

The residents outlined the woman who was known to be feeding stray dogs in the area but residents were threatened by her instead of cooperating into the matter.

Reportedly, a team from the NDMC confirmed the presence of temporary shelters and dog feeding sites in the area, according to the NHRC.