Mumbai: In a shocking incident that has sparked widespread outrage, a man in Mumbai has been booked for deliberately setting his pet dog on a minor boy, causing serious injuries.
The incident took place around 10:00 PM in the Mankhurd area, where the accused, identified as Mohammad Sohail Khan, allegedly released his dog on a young boy who was playing inside a parked auto-rickshaw. According to Mumbai Police, the dog attacked the child without provocation, biting him on the chin and hands.
Disturbingly, video footage of the attack has gone viral on social media, showing Khan laughing and enjoying the moment instead of stopping the dog or helping the victim. The child, who suffered severe injuries, has also been left mentally traumatized.
Police stated:
“On July 17, at approximately 10 PM, the minor son of the complainant was playing in a parked rickshaw in the locality. Mohammad Sohail Khan, a resident of the same area, deliberately unleashed his brown-coloured pet dog on the child. The dog bit the boy on the chin and hands, leading to serious injuries.”
Based on the complainant’s statement and available video evidence, a case has been registered against Khan under Sections 291, 125, and 125(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Mankhurd Police Station. The accused has also been served a notice under Section 35(3) of BNS.
Dog Bites and Rabies: A National Concern
This case comes amid growing concerns about dog attacks and rabies-related deaths in India. A recent study by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) – National Institute of Epidemiology (NIE) revealed that India sees an estimated 9.1 million animal bite cases and 5,726 human deaths from rabies annually.
Although 80% of bite victims receive at least one dose of the rabies vaccine, health experts stress the need for aggressive public health measures to eliminate dog-mediated rabies, a goal India aimed to achieve by 2023.
According to data reported through the Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme (IDSP) under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, there were 2,195,122 dog bite cases reported across India in 2024.
