Mumbai: The State Human Rights Commission has summoned the municipal commissioner and deputy commissioner of police Zone 10 over an incident of an animal lover assaulting a security guard.
The guard was attempting to save himself from several stray dogs that were attacking him in a housing society in Andheri (east).
Following the incident, an FIR was registered at Meghwadi police station on Mar 8. According to the FIR, Ramchandra Shinde, 55, a security guard at Vastu Shilp Society at Vastu Complex, was on night shift. Around 11.30 pm on Mar 5, Hardik Pasi, a resident, came down with his pet dog and left food for his dog and other stray dogs near a water tank.
“I was patrolling the premises of the building, and all the dogs, which were consuming the food there, suddenly started attacking me. I tried saving myself by using a stick. Meanwhile, Pasi ran towards me and slapped me. At the same time, the dogs attacked me again, and two dogs bit me on the left leg. As I shouted for help, another security guard and a girl who resides in the building came forward to save me. Thereafter, I took treatment at Trauma Care Hospital, Jogeshwari,” stated Shinde.
According to the proceedings at the Commission, the incident depicts a dual problem — the problem of stray dogs attacking humans and a so-called animal lover beating the victim of such an attack. It is necessary to inquire what action is being taken by the authorities of the state to curb the menace of stray dogs and to prevent breaches of human rights, protecting the human rights of victims of stray dog attacks.
The state human rights commission has summoned the two senior officials — municipal commissioner and deputy commissioner of police on Jun 17.
With the State Human Rights Commission taking cognisance of the incident and issuing summons to the municipal commissioner and the zonal deputy commissioner of police, it is clear that such acts of violence and brutality on senior citizens will not be condoned or pardoned in civil society, irrespective of the victim’s nature of work or his financial or social standing,” said a resident of Vastu Shilp, Anil Dsouza, who is an advocate by profession.