Srinagar, May 26: Stray dogs yet again forced a human to jump into Jhelum when they chased him Saturday afternoon in Safa Kadal area of Shaher-e-Khaas here. The victim, feared dead, was identified as a 30-year-old Shabir Ahmed Bhat.
Last year, a 10-year old school boy was drowned under similar circumstances in Zaina Kadal area when dogs chased him.

THE INCIDENT:
Witnesses said Shabir Ahmed Bhat son of late Ghulam Mohi Ud Din of Haftyaarbal Mohalla in Malik Sahib, Safa Kadal jumped into the river when stray dogs chased him.
The witnesses said the incident occurred when Shabir was taking a bath on the right banks of Jhelum near the bridge.
“The moment he emerged from the river to wear his clothes, dogs appeared at the site and pounced towards him,” the witnesses said. Scared, the victim couldn’t find any options but jumped into the river only to be drowned.

THE POLICE VERSION:
Superintendent of Police north City Tahir Saleem Khan however denied the claims of the witnesses saying Shabir was drowned while bathing in the river.
The SP said the victim was “mentally unsound.” “Otherwise why would any sane person go for a bath in river amid the prevalent cold,” argued his colleague while monitoring rescue operations soon after the incident.
The river police boats were trying to locate the man.

THE PREVIOUS DROWNING:
On May 14 last year, a 10-year-old schoolboy jumped into Jhelum at Zaina Kadal when stray packs chased him. His body was recovered days after the incident.
But the incident didn’t fetch much of government attention allegedly because the victim hailed from a poor family.
Omar Farooq Sheikh, son of a rag picker had left his home to buy a packet of biscuits when stray packs came his way –chasing him to death.

THE ANIMAL PREFERENCE:
The government has come under severe criticism for its alleged preference to the welfare of stray dogs over humans. While around a dozen humans, mostly children on an average fall prey to dog bites everyday in this historic city, the government disallows any harm to the stray dogs.
Last year it revoked the shoot-at-sight orders to kill rabid dogs while last month protests against dog menace were prohibited.
This is despite the fact that the dog attacks have been breaking all known records.
The government looks at “costly and time consuming” sterilization as the sole solution to the dog menace. While the general perception is that over one lakh dogs are on prowl in Srinagar, the government announced that the accurate figure is 91,110.
While the sterilization goes on at state of the art dog pound constructed at Shuhama out of money meant for human welfare, a million dollar question posed last year by then Chief Justice FM Ibraheem Kalif Ullah remains unanswered: Will a dog stop biting after sterilization?

Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 May 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 26 May 2012 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 27 May 2012 00:00:00 IST