Advocate Dilawar Khan Urges Action on Stray Dog Menace in Rajouri, Cites Supreme Court Order

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD

RAJOURI AUGUST 12:-Packs of growling stray dogs, hapless children, women, and the elderly-all helpless victims of canine terror on the streets and outskirts of Rajouri town- are now an alarming reality.
Recently, about 30 cases of dog bites were reported at the Associated Hospital, Government Medical College (AH GMC), Rajouri.
Disturbed by the rising incidents, Dilawar Khan, Advocate at the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, has written to the Deputy Commissioner Rajouri, urging urgent action against the stray dog menace in the district.
Citing the Supreme Court’s August 11 directions to civil authorities in Delhi-NCR to adopt a humane but strict plan to round up stray dogs, sterilize them, and relocate them permanently to shelters, Adv. Khan said that dog bites pose “a serious and immediate threat to public safety.”
“In this context, I wish to draw your attention to the Supreme Court of India’s order dated 11 August 2025 in Suo Motu Writ (Civil) No. 5/2025, which addresses the menace of stray dogs and rabies. While the order was passed regarding Delhi and adjoining areas, the Court’s observations and directions are based on constitutional principles of public health and safety, and therefore have persuasive applicability across the country, including Rajouri,” he wrote.
He further noted that the Hon’ble Court had emphasized that “infants and young children, not at any cost, should fall prey to rabies — no sentiments should be involved” and strongly rejected the practice of releasing sterilized dogs back into the same locality, terming it “absolutely absurd.”
In light of the Supreme Court’s directions, Adv. Khan suggested several measures, including:
Constitution of a dedicated stray dog capture force.
Setting up temporary or permanent dog shelters with necessary facilities.
Launching a district-level helpline for reporting dog bite incidents, with offending dogs to be captured within 4 hours.
Ensuring a sufficient stock of anti-rabies vaccines at every hospital and health centre.
Publishing periodic public reports on the number of stray dogs captured, sheltered, sterilized, and immunized.
“This issue has reached a public emergency level in Rajouri. Immediate implementation of measures aligned with the Supreme Court’s directions will not only protect public safety but also avoid potential legal consequences for administrative inaction in the face of a known hazard,” the letter concluded.