Hyderabad: Following the death of an 11-month-old pet dog belonging to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s official residence Pragati Bhavan, the Hyderabad police booked a veterinary doctor for criminal negligence.
The 11-month-old dog, named 'Haski', died allegedly after the veterinarian gave it an injection on Wednesday, reported news agency IANS.
A case under section 429 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 11 (4) of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act was booked against Doctor Ranjit and the in-charge of a private veterinary clinic at Banjara Hills Police Station, police said on Saturday.
On a complaint by Asif Ali Khan, the handler of pet dogs at the chief minister's residence, the police registered a case and took up investigations. The complainant alleged that the dog died due to negligence by the doctor and the in-charge of the clinic, news agency IANS reported.
"It's a cruel joke on the ongoing dengue deaths in Telangana, due to criminal negligence of KCR's government," said BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar.
"BJP wishes, if CM had even half of the love towards people, so many poor children wouldn't be dying of dengue," he said.
'Haski', one of the nine pet dogs at the chief minister's residence, suddenly took ill on September 10. It was not eating anything. The next day, a veterinarian examined the pet, which was running high temperature. The same day it was taken to a private clinic where it died. The complaint was lodged the next day.
Nearly 3,000 fresh cases of dengue have been reported in the last couple of weeks and there have been deaths too, along with certificates issued by hospitals saying cause of death is dengue.
But the government is in denial. Health minister Etela Rajinder says unless a government-appointed committee certifies it as dengue, after blood samples test positive in Elisa test, they will not count it as a dengue death.
Both the government and private hospitals are running full. Doctors and paramedical staff say they are really stretched catering to the demand for medical attention.
While many are testing positive for dengue, thousands more are suffering from viral fever, influenza and flu symptoms. Being complacent is not an option since no one wants to take any chances.
Both the BJP and the Congress are asking for the government to concede that there is an emergency health situation and take appropriate measures.
"How many cases need to be filed on CM KCR and his government for this unaccountable governance? How many cases need to be filed on Health Minister Eatela Rajender for not even accounting for hundreds of dengue deaths and dengue fever cases?" they ask.
