Pitbull attacks woman in central Delhi, owner held

New Delhi: A 34-year-old journalist was seriously injured after a Pitbull attacked her while she was walking with three of her colleagues on Tolstoy Marg near Kasturba Gandhi (KG Marg) in central Delhi on Wednesday

New Delhi: A 34-year-old journalist was seriously injured after a Pitbull attacked her while she was walking with three of her colleagues on Tolstoy Marg near Kasturba Gandhi (KG Marg) in central Delhi on Wednesday. The caretaker of the canine was walking it along with two other pet dogs – all of whom belonged to the same owner – when it suddenly pounced at the woman, Dipti Mudaliar, and mauled her right arm, causing her to undergo a surgery at a private hospital.

A case under Indian Penal Code’s sections 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) was registered.

A case under Indian Penal Code’s sections 289 (negligent conduct with respect to animal), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) and 337 (causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) was registered at the Barakhamba Road police station based on Mudaliar’s statement on February 2. The owner of the dog, identified as Shripriya Agarwal, 28, and the caretaker, Rampal, 34, who was walking it at the time of the attack were arrested on February 3. The two were later bailed out the same day as the charges invoked in the first information report (FIR) were bailable, senior police officers aware of the matter said.

Agarwal did not answer calls and messages with requests for a comment. A call made to Rampal was answered by his son, who said his father was not at home.

Mudaliar, who works with Hindustan Times, said that around 5pm on February 1, she and her colleagues – Saptaparna Biswas and Pranay Pathak – left office at KG Marg to have tea. They reached Tolstoy Marg opposite Prakash Deep Building where a man was walking three dogs on the footpath. Two of them were Pitbulls, she said.

“All three dogs were leashed. Two dogs sniffed at me and I touched them as they were behaving in a friendly manner. Suddenly, the third canine that was a little distance away lunged at me and mauled my right arm without any provocation. My friend Biswas pulled me back but by the time that dog had ripped apart a big portion of my arm,” Mudaliar said, adding that her colleagues took her to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, from where she was shifted to a private hospital.

The same night, Mudaliar underwent a surgery. The next day, a police team recorded her statement and registered a case accordingly. Around half-an-hour after the police left, the dog’s caretaker and owner reached Mudaliar’s hospital room to apologise, said Mudaliar.

“We registered a case and arrested the dog owner as well as the caretaker. The investigation is on. We will file a charge sheet at the earliest,” said a senior police officer aware of the incident.