It has reopened wounds of tragedy: Family of 6-year-old Chhavi over SC verdict on stray dogs
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
It has reopened wounds of tragedy: Family of 6-year-old Chhavi over SC verdict on stray dogs
Chhavi, 6, was bitten by a stray dog on June 30 last year while walking to her aunt’s house in northwest Delhi’s Pooth Kalan. She was rushed to Dr B.R. Ambedkar Hospital and started on anti-rabies treatment. Her condition, however, worsened weeks later. On July 21, her first day back at school, she began vomiting and lost strength in her limbs. Four days later, just days before her final vaccine dose, she passed away. “We thought no other child would go through what Chhavi did,” says her aunt Krishnadevi.
The family claims that the verdict reopened wounds of a tragedy they have been struggling to come to terms with and one that took away their youngest member.
Chhavi, fondly called Bittu by her family, was bitten by a stray dog on June 30 last year while walking to her aunt’s house in northwest Delhi’s Pooth Kalan.
The family recalls the dog attacked her without any provocation. Bleeding heavily, she was rushed to Dr B.R. Ambedkar Hospital and started on anti-rabies treatment.
Her condition, however, worsened weeks later. On July 21, her first day back at school, she began vomiting and lost strength in her limbs. She stopped speaking. Four days later, just days before her final vaccine dose, she passed away.
“We thought no other child would go through what Chhavi did,” says her aunt Krishnadevi.
“The first court order gave us a sense of relief. It wasn’t just about our loss, we believed it was a step to protect others too,” she added.
The Supreme Court’s recent ruling that healthy stray dogs should not be moved to shelters but sterilised, vaccinated and released back to their original locations has been welcomed by dog feeders and animal rights groups, but it has left Chhavi’s family disheartened.
While the court emphasised the need for compassionate care for stray animals, the family feels their concerns for public safety remain unaddressed.
“The judgment has brought happiness to many, but we are still living with grief and fear,” says Krishnadevi.
“We are not against animals. We worship cows and never hurt any animals. We only want children and the elderly to be safe,” she said.
The family says they are not seeking conflict but accountability. “People feed dogs on the streets and leave. These dogs stay back, form packs and start chasing children. Even if there are feeding spots, who is responsible for that?” she asks.
Residents of the area say the presence of stray dogs continues to be a concern. “The dogs are still around. Every time we step out, it reminds us of what happened,” said a relative of Chhavi.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.