Stray Dog Goes on Rampage in Vemulawada; 21 Devotees Injured
Sudden rush of victims caused a tense situation at the local hospital as doctors rushed to provide anti-rabies treatment.
Karimnagar: A stray dog attacked and injuring 21 persons near the Sri Raja Rajeshwara Swamy Temple in Vemulawada of Rajanna Sircilla district on Thursday. Most of the victims, including many elderly, were shifted to the area hospital for treatment.
Sudden rush of victims caused a tense situation at the local hospital as doctors rushed to provide anti-rabies treatment.
Residents and devotees expressed deep anger toward the municipal authorities. They claimed that multiple complaints had been made regarding the stray dog menace in the area, but no action was taken. The victim’s relatives alleged that if the officials had responded in time, these people would not have been hurt.
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Sirigiri Ramchander, a resident of the temple town, expressed grave concern over the growing number of stray animals. He said the situation has become dangerous near the Baddi Pochamma temple and the Beemeshwaralayam area.
“There are at least 50 to 100 stray dogs roaming around the temple premises. The area is very congested because devotees are visiting both temples, especially with the Medaram Jatara approaching. Since there are many chicken and mutton shops nearby, the dogs stay in the area and have become a threat to pilgrims,” he said.
He said lack of coordination between the Vemulawada Temple Development Authority (VTDA) and municipal officials has left the problem unsolved. According to locals, there is no proper plant to manage either the dog or monkey menace, leaving devotees to face significant hardships while visiting the holy site, he added.
Dr P. Penchaiah, the superintendent of the Vemulawada hospital, said, “A total of 21 people visited the hospital for treatment following the stray dog attacks. While there were no children among the victims, all those injured were elderly people. They had travelled from various parts of the state to visit the temple,” he said.
He said the medical team administered anti-rabies injections and provided treatment for blood loss where necessary. He noted that although the experience was traumatic for the pilgrims, there were no life-threatening injuries. Since many of them had come from long distances outside of the temple town, they chose to return to their homes immediately after receiving treatment, he added.
