By Dr. Ahmed Mohiuddin Siddiqui
Dr. Ranjith, a veterinarian who treated a guarding dog living at Pragathi Bhavan, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s residence, was booked for negligence after the dog breathed his last on Wednesday night in Hyderabad. ‘Husky’, an 11-month old guarding dog of hulk breed — a cross between a bulldog and a pit bull terrier — was admitted to an animal clinic in the posh Banjara Hills on Wednesday.
During my journalism studies, my classmates burst out in laughter when my teacher Jagadeeshan Sir introduced the News Editing subject and defined what constituted news? Some of my classmates – Sanjay Agarwal, Sridhar and Manjula Reddy (wife of Deccan Chronicle Managing Director T. Venkat Ram Reddy) were very amused when Sir said: ‘When a dog bites a man, it is no news. When a man bites a dog, it is news!’ In the above case, it is the man who allegedly killed the dog! Now, we fully understand the implications and the impact of Jagadeeshan Sir’s definition of news.
According to a complaint filed by Asif Ali Khan of the veterinary department, Husky had not eaten food properly on Tuesday evening. The following morning the dog did not have its usual serving of milk. Anxious Khan called a veterinarian –Dr. Ranjith. The doctor arrived in the afternoon, examined Husky and found that he was running a high temperature. Dr. Ranjith administered a liver tonic. It is alleged that following the administering of the liver tonic, Husky’s health immediately deteriorated. The attendant staff rushed the sick Husky to a clinic at Banjara Hills, where he was admitted.
However, the dog did not respond to the treatment. Alas, Husky was no more. He was declared dead.
Hyderabad City Police on Thursday registered a case of negligence and a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, against Dr. Ranjith and Dr. Laxmi Srinivasan, the clinic’s administrator.
Nine dogs reportedly guard the Pragathi Bhavan. Six of them roam around outside the main building. They have their own separate kennel. Two dogs are allowed to roam and guard inside the premises. Asif Ali Khan and his veterinary department colleague Shujauddin handle the dogs with much care.
Telangana Police on Thursday, a day after Husky’s death, registered a case of negligence and a case under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, against Dr. Ranjith and Dr. Laxmi Srinivasan, the clinic’s administrator. Police officials said that investigation was in progress. The animal clinic declined to comment.
It remains to be seen how negligence and cruelty to Husky can be proved. Even if Husky’s kith and kin are summoned and asked to testify, they may not proceed than their usual ‘bhaao, bhaao!’ But, it will surely be examined if administering the tonic by the doctor was the right thing to do.
If a vet is booked for a dog’s death, who should be booked for the hundreds of people who died due to viral fever? This prime question was posed by Congress MLA Jayaprakash aka Jagga Reddy. Speaking to the pressmen in the Legislative Assembly, Jagga Reddy claimed that there were no funds to even buy bleaching powder and there was fund crunch for blood tests. “Who is responsible for this?” he thundered.
Meanwhile, till the filing of this report, there were no condolences offered to the owners on the untimely passing away of Husky. Political sycophancy has not peaked yet!
