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The Allahabad High Court at Lucknow Bench on Thursday registered a suo moto Public Interest Litigation with cause title “In Re: Menace Created By Stray Dogs” taking cognizance of the death of an eight-year-old boy who was mauled by more than 20 stray dogs in Lucknow while returning home from his father's nearby shop.

Taking the news reports published in ‘Dainik Jagran’ and the ‘Times of India’ of the incident, the bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Subhash Vidyarthi held, "The description of the incident in the newspaper reports has the potential of disturbing even the strongest mind, which compels us to take suo moto cognizance of the issue relating to the menace created on account of unchecked stray dogs on the streets of Lucknow."

Court noted, "Nothing can be more pain giving for a human being than to learn a human life being lost in such a manner. As per the news paper reports, stray dogs attacked the brother and sister duo and killed the brother separating his sister from him forever, perhaps to meet in only the next birth."

In Furtherance of the suo moto action, Court directed the Additional Advocate General (AAG) to serve a copy of the order upon the Additional Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary, Government of Uttar Pradesh in the Department of Urban Development and also to Additional Chief Secretary/ Principal Secretary in the Department of Animal Husbandry and asked him to apprise the State Government in the respective departments of the concerns of the Court. Court also directed the counsel representing the Nagar Nigam, Lucknow to apprise the Nagar Ayukt, Lucknow of the order. 

Regarding the critical situation of the sister of the deceased boy, Court directed the Chief Medical Officer, Lucknow to provide all medical assistance to her by contacting her family members and getting her admitted for treatment in the appropriate department of the King George Medical University, Lucknow.

"All possible medical treatment shall be given to the injured girl child without any charges. The charges, if any, shall be borne by the State Government. The Vice-Chancellor of King George’s Medical University, Lucknow shall personally supervise the treatment to be given to her," Court ordered.

Further, regarding compensation to the family of the dead boy, Court directed the AAG to apprised the District Magistrate, Lucknow of the incident and also of the concerns of the Court and to seek instructions as to how the family of the deceased- boy child can be monetarily or otherwise compensated.

Furthermore, Court appointed Advocates Vijay Dixit, Mohit Pandey and Abhishek Pratap as Amicus Curiae in this case to assist the Court. The case will be next heard on April 19, 2022. 

Case Title- Suo-Moto In Re: Menace Created By Stray Dogs