E-Paper
Ludhiana: Man seeks ₹3.6-L relief after stray dog attack
Quoting Punjab and Haryana high court rulings, the victim said that the state is liable to pay compensation in dog bite cases involving strays, with the right to recover damages from responsible agencies later
A local resident, Girdhar Singh Rawat of New Dashmesh Nagar, Ayali Khurd, has sought ₹3.6 lakh compensation after being bitten by a stray dog on Balloke Road, Haibowal Kalan. The incident occurred around 7am on Wednesday when Rawat was on his way to work. A group of stray dogs chased him, and one of them bit his left leg, leaving deep wounds measuring nearly three centimetres with six visible teeth marks.
Rawat stated that he rushed home, washed the injury and later consulted doctors. He first visited the government dispensary at Haibowal Khurd, where Dr Japneet Kaur Pahwa classified the case as a category 3 bite and advised further treatment at the civil hospital. He was given an anti-rabies vaccine on his arm as well as an injection at the wound site.
Quoting Punjab and Haryana high court rulings, Rawat said that the state is liable to pay compensation in dog bite cases involving strays, with the right to recover damages from responsible agencies later. The court has fixed a minimum relief of ₹10,000 per tooth mark, and ₹20,000 for every 0.2 cm of torn flesh.
As per this calculation, his entitlement amounts to ₹3.6 lakh. Rawat urged the deputy commissioner and municipal corporation commissioner to release the compensation within the four-month period set by the court.
The court had also directed the governments of Punjab and Haryana, and the Chandigarh Administration to form district-level committees to assess and settle such claims. Rawat stressed that timely action would not only provide him relief but also set an example for addressing rising cases of stray dog attacks in the city.
