The MCD said stray dogs continue to enter <EP>the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium through its 21 entry points.
| Photo Credit: ANI
New Delhi
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) increased the number of dog-catching vans at Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium on Saturday, a day after two coaches from Kenya and Japan were bitten by stray dogs during the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships, an official said.
According to an MCD spokesperson, dog-catching teams had been deployed on the stadium premises ahead of the event on September 25 to pick up stray dogs and send them to the nearest animal birth control (ABC) centres.
“Since then, 27 dogs have been picked up from the area. After the dog bite incidents, we deployed five vans and five more dogs were caught today,” an official from the Veterinary Department said.
Stray dogs continue to enter the stadium through its 21 entry points, the official said, adding that garbage and food waste strewn in the area also attract them despite the MCD’s clean-up drives.
The organisers said two permanent dog-catching teams are now stationed at the venue in collaboration with the MCD. “The affected coaches were given immediate medical attention and both are safe,” an official statement read.
‘Measures not enough’
In the first dog bite incident, Kenyan coach Dennis Maragia was attacked near the warm-up track.
“I didn’t notice the dog because it came from behind. Suddenly, I felt something holding my leg, and it was painful. It was a dog,” Mr. Maragia said.
Though now safe, he admitted that he was still “in fear”. “Even after what happened, I saw dogs passing by. I don’t feel the measures are enough. Once something like this happens, you carry the fear,” he said.
According to MCD data, Delhi recorded 26,334 dog bite cases and 49 rabies cases as of July 31 this year.
The incidents come weeks after the Supreme Court on August 22 modified its earlier directive to capture and relocate stray dogs from public places to ABC centres.
The court later directed agencies to release the animals back into their original localities after sterilisation and immunisation.
The court had taken suo motu cognisance of rising cases of dog attacks.
(With inputs from PTI)
Published – October 05, 2025 01:31 am IST
