Chandigarh, 22 May (H.S.): Punjab Chief

Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that the

state government will launch a major campaign from May 22 to capture dangerous

and aggressive stray dogs posing a threat to human lives. The announcement was

made after welcoming a recent decision of the Supreme

Court of India regarding the issue.

In a post shared on social media platform X, the

Chief Minister stated that the Aam Aadmi Party

government in Punjab welcomes the Supreme Court’s decision and is committed to

protecting children and pedestrians from attacks by stray dogs. He said the

state would begin a large-scale drive targeting stray and violent dogs that

have become a danger to public safety.

The issue of increasing dog bite incidents has

been a growing concern across Punjab over the past few years. Earlier, on March

10, 2026, the Punjab State Human Rights

Commission had taken suo motu notice of the matter and sought reports

from municipal corporation commissioners and the Health Department regarding

dog bite cases in the state.

According to the commission, over 3.34 lakh

dog bite cases were reported in Punjab during 2025, making stray dogs a major

public safety issue.

The situation continues to remain worrying in

2026 as well. Official figures indicate that more than 50,000 dog bite cases

have already been recorded in the state so far this year. The increasing number

of attacks, especially involving children, elderly people and daily commuters,

has intensified public demand for strict action against dangerous stray

animals.

The Punjab Government is expected to

coordinate with municipal bodies, animal control authorities and the Health

Department to implement the campaign effectively. Officials are likely to focus

on identifying aggressive stray dogs in urban and rural areas while ensuring

necessary public safety measures.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH