Siddipet additional collector bitten by stray dog

Hyderabad: In the unabated series of dog bites, additional district collector (revenue) P. Srinivas Reddy was bitten by a stray dog while on a stroll in the evening near his official residence in the collectorate complex (DIOC) housing the official quarters of the district collector and other officials in Siddipet.

The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday evening but came to light on Tuesday. Srinivas Reddy was rushed to Siddipet Government Hospital with bleeding injuries to his legs, was given treatment for three days, and was placed under observation for the first day in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) before being discharged from the hospital. His condition is stated to be stable.

While the collector's residence has a separate compound wall, the additional collectors' and district officers' quarters do not, allowing stray dogs to enter and roam freely. Further, the stray dog problem has been exacerbated by the incomplete compound wall construction due to ongoing works.

In the recent past, a four-year-old boy was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs, causing public outrage and fear. With stray dog attacks and dog bite incidents on the increase across the state, the Telangana High Court had recently questioned the GHMC officials about what steps they have taken to combat the problem.