Jalandhar: Dogs are causing terror in Urban Estate, with 40 cases reported since the beginning of the new year.
Punjab: “Parks are deserted, children can’t step outside, and even adults move around carrying sticks for safety. Only stray dogs roam freely here,” says Ward 28 councillor Gurpreet Kaur. Over 40 incidents in January alone has created an ominous silence in the streets even at midday. Pinky (25), a domestic help, was bitten by stray dogs in Urban Estate on January 14. This was her fourth dog‑bite injury in a month.
Five-year-old Mahira Singh was attacked on January 20 and sustained a leg injury. Sunita Devi (45) spent a day in the hospital after being bitten on January 22. She received seven stitches after a chunk of flesh was torn from her right leg. Two more residents were bitten in the same locality on the same day.
The situation escalated on January 16, when area councillor Gurpreet Kaur Jandu, who had gone to inspect the area following repeated complaints, was chased and bitten by a pack of stray dogs. She suffered a leg injury and narrowly escaped a more serious attack by rushing into a nearby house.
Residents of Urban Estate, Shalimar Garden, Urban Avenue and surrounding areas say they are living in constant fear. They estimate over 40 dog‑bite cases this month alone, though many incidents go unreported.
Daljit Kaur, a resident, says, “Two or three persons are bitten every day. The dogs move in packs and get particularly aggressive near garbage dumps. The rear of Singh Sabha Gurdwara in Urban Estate is the worst hit. Domestic helps and daily wagers who must step out every day are terrified, many having been bitten multiple times.”
Residents trace the problem to insanitary conditions at the Urban Estate dump near the petrol pump opposite an eatery, and another near JCT Mill. These sites have become congregation points for stray dogs, with residents reporting packs of more than 50 dogs at night.
Councillor Jandu says, “Neither children, nor adults are safe. Kids can’t play in parks. People have to carry sticks, and even that offers no guarantee of safety. Labourers are attacked daily. Until January 16, when I was bitten, 20–25 cases had already been reported; since then, 16 more have come in. The dumps near JCT Mill and the petrol pump were imposed on us. Waste from eateries, especially discarded meat, has worsened the situation.”
She adds that despite repeatedly raising the issue with the MC Commissioner last year and flagging it again this year with the Mayor, no concrete solution has emerged. “Residents are literally living in fear,” she says.
No one is safe
Councillor Jandu says, “Neither children, nor adults are safe. Kids can’t play in parks. People have to carry sticks, and even that offers no guarantee of safety. Labourers are attacked daily. Until January 16, when I was bitten, 20–25 cases had already been reported; since then, 16 more have come in. The dumps near JCT Mill and the petrol pump were imposed on us. Waste from eateries, especially discarded meat, has worsened the situation.”
