Supreme Court on every life lost to dog bite: ‘Will impose heavy compensation on state govts’

The Supreme Court also warned that it would raise 'serious questions' when hearing both the Centre and state governments on the issue.

• Supreme Court blames Union and state governments for stray dog attack deaths
• Court says dog feeders may also be held responsible for bites and deaths
• Heavy compensation may be imposed on governments for lives lost to dog bites

Did our AI summary help?

The Supreme Court on Tuesday made sharp observations while hearing a case related to stray dog attacks. The top court questioned who should be held responsible when children and elderly citizens are killed or injured by stray dogs on the streets.

A bench of Supreme Court Justices comprising Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta and NV Anjaria heard the case.

"We are going to take the Union government and state governments to task. The issue has been continuing forever. You yourself have mentioned that parliament has been looking into it since the 1950s. It is because of the Union and state governments that the problem has multiplied 1000 times. Complete failure on the part of the Union and state governments. For every man, woman and child who has lost their lives to a dog bite, we will impose heavy compensation on the government responsible," the bench said.

According to Justice Vikram Nath, those who say they are feeding dogs will also be held accountable.

"Do it, take them to your house. Why should dogs be littering around, biting, scaring people?" he questioned.

The remark came in response to advocate Menaka Guruswamy, who called the stray dogs issue an "emotional matter".

"I was mauled by a community dog. I wanted to understand what made the dog bite me without any provocation. This dog was subjected to prolonged cruelty. Kicking, stoning etc. it was defensive aggression in response to fear. I suffered because of the action of somebody else. What manifests aggression in a community dog. Cruelty towards an otherwise friendly dog activates fear. Fear activates defensive aggression," she told the court as quoted by India Today.

The court also pulled up dog feeders, saying they should be held responsible when dog bites and deaths happen. "And also liability to dog feeders. You take them to your house, keep them. Why should they be allowed to roam around, biting, chasing? The effect of a dog bite is lifelong," it said.