A nine-year-old boy sustained serious injuries after he was bitten on the face by a street dog at Vagu Center in One Town, Vijayawada on Tuesday (February 24). The boy accidentally fell onto the dog after losing his balance on his bike, CCTV footage showed.
According to sources, the child, Rachakonda Rishi, had gone out to play when he returned from school around 4.15 pm. Later that evening, he was seen walking home with his face and shirt covered in blood and was taken to the new Government General Hospital (GGH).
The doctors reportedly told his mother that he had to be observed for two more days. “He’s conscious but not talking much,” she said.
Dog attacks in the area
Some residents said there have been several dog attacks in the area recently. Bottu Nagalakshmi, another resident, said her sister’s children, both aged 9, were bitten by dogs last month and were taken to a government hospital for treatment.
A similar incident was reported in Siddhartha Nagar on Wednesday evening. A nine-year-old boy was chased by a pack of eight dogs as he left school. Little Brains school principal Phani Prasad, who witnessed the incident, said the boy fell and injured his mouth.
Following a Supreme Court order in November 2025, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) set up 286 dog-feeding zones across the city and asked residents not to feed dogs outside their homes.
The company also increased the number of dog capture vehicles from one to six and the number of kennels where dogs are kept for observation up to a week after the sterilization process from 120 to 320.
“This has led to a slight increase in the number of sterilized dogs. By 2024, 20-30 dogs were sterilized daily. But these days, the number has increased to 40-50,” said B. Somasekhar Reddy, Veterinary Assistant, Vijayawada Municipal Corporation.
According to Mr. Somasekhar Reddy, the dog that attacked the boy was recently sterilized and vaccinated. After the incident, the municipal authorities in the area picked up other dogs for sterilization and vaccination.
According to sources, there are about 35,000 to 40,000 dogs in the city, of which 18,000 have been sterilized.
In a recent budget meeting, the company proposed a budget estimate of ₹ 5 crore for the Animal Birth Control (ABC) program and establishment of dog shelters.
However, Pisupati Ravi Keerthi, founder of the Vijayawada-based Sanghamitra Animal Foundation, said moving the dogs to the shelter was cruel as the animals can contract infections and ticks from these shelters.
“Furthermore, after sterilization, officials release dogs to other areas, which again leads to territorial wars and becomes a nuisance to the public. The VMC should focus on humane approaches, including continuous sterilization and vaccination,” he said.
Published – 25 Feb 2026 21:28 IST
