Swiggy delivery boy dies: Is there a lesson for pet-owners in this sad act of dog?

HDERABAD: Rizwan breathed his last after fighting for his life in the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIME). He was 23. No he did not die of hunger. He died in his bid to mitigate someone else’s hunger. Don’t be mistaken him for doing some social service. He was genuinely and legally earning his bread by working as a delivery executive in food delivery company, Swiggy. After all, he, along with another brother, shouldered the onus of three other mentally-challenged brothers and an aged father.

Quaint are the ways of the universe. The poor Rizwan, responsibly went up to the third floor of Lumbini Rock castle apartment on Road No.6 in Banjara Hills in Hyderabad. He wanted to deliver food ordered by Shobhana and knocked at the door. As the door was flung open, a monstrous German Shepherd chased him and perhaps bitten too. However, there is no confirmation on whether the dog had dug its teeth into him. But CCTV cameras clearly showed how he was chased by the dog.

Scared by the dog, the 23-year-old jumped from the third floor in his bid to run for safety and save himself from the sharp jaws of the canine.

Shobhana indeed called for ambulance and sent the grievously injured delivery executive to the hospital.

Mohammed Khaja, brother of Rizwan, lodged a complaint with the Banjara Hilsl police that his brother was grievously injured due to negligence of the apartment owner.

Now, Rizwan succumbed to injuries. At the most, it would become a case of 304 A of the IPC which states: “ 304A. Causing death by negligence.--Whoever causes the death of any person by doing any rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.”

After protracted adjournments and multiple appeals in different courts up the judicial hierarchy, how the case would be disposed finally is anyone’s guess. Even the victim’s family might lose the interest in pursuing it. For, the owner of the dog is not directly responsible for the death of Rizwan.

After all, the devastation caused to Rizwan’s family is not an act of god, but an act of dog.

Pet-owners, show some compassion to strangers

Many people passionately rear pets of multiple species and genuses. Usually, it’s dogs or cats. Bite by a stray mongrel causes hydrophobia and an eventual death of a victim, if not treated on time or if the animal is suffering from a disease.

The pet owners would habitually tell strangers: “No problem. He wouldn’t do anything. He’s nice and docile.” The animal wouldn’t act up with its owners as it would have been domesticated by them well. But usually, ferocious dogs are reared by people with an express intent of ensuring protection to themselves and their property. If the dog doesn’t “do” anything, why are they rearing one, at all? Isn’t it the responsibility of the owner to tie the dog with a leash and keep it under control, especially when the owner is aware that a stranger like a courier boy or a delivery executive or a gas cylinder delivery boy, milk vendor, newspaper boy, postman, sales people, repair persons form on-demand service agencies or medicine delivery person may come.

It’s crass to leave the dog just like that and let it pounce on the stranger. It may give pleasure for such owners to watch their dog terrorise their guests. But, out there, a huge population lies which is scared of these pets. For the owners, it is a pet. For strangers like Rizwan, it’s a nightmare or in some cases, a death-knell.

What’s worse is several pet owners let their dogs unleashed on the road while walking them and the animals go astray chasing street dogs and walkers. They soil the roads and urinate on the tyres of cars and other vehicles parked outside, leading to skirmishes and fights with their owners.

Street dogs multiply and the civic authorities do not and cannot handle the huge number anyway with their measly facilities and manpower.

What if an innocuous man brings a tiger for a morning warning? Wouldn’t wildlife authorities punish him? What about those making the lives of commoners wild and miserable with their pets?

Beware of not only street dogs, but even the pet dogs. They are not your friends, folks. They are there to attack you to protect their owners. They are loyal by nature, but not to an unknown you. Beware.