Thrissur, 13 March (H.S.):A dog that brutally attacked and killed an elderly bedridden woman at Erumapetty in Kerala’s Thrissur district has been captured by local authorities after an intensive search operation .

Officials of the Kadangode panchayat, assisted by wildlife volunteers and local residents, managed to catch the dog at around 2 a.m. The animal has been secured and will be examined to determine whether it was infected with rabies, authorities said.

The incident had triggered panic in the locality after the dog carried out a violent attack inside the victim’s house on Thursday evening. The victim was identified as Karthyayani, 84, a bedridden woman who lived near Tejas College at Vellarakkad along the Kechery–Kuranjeri road.

According to local residents, the dog entered the house and attacked the elderly woman while she was lying on her bed. The attack was extremely brutal, leaving her with severe bite injuries across her face and body. Officials said her face had been severely disfigured due to the attack.

Karthyayani’s 60-year-old son, who is physically disabled, was also bitten while trying to intervene and protect his mother. Both were rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital for treatment. However, doctors declared Karthyayani dead shortly after arrival due to the severity of her injuries. Her son is currently undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit.

Authorities said the same dog had also bitten several other animals in the locality, including pet dogs, raising concerns about the possible spread of rabies.

Three other people who were bitten by the dog in separate incidents have already received preventive anti-rabies vaccinations, health officials confirmed. Veterinary authorities are also closely monitoring the dogs that were attacked by the animal to detect any signs of rabies infection.

The capture of the dog has brought some relief to residents who had been living in fear since the attack. Local authorities have urged people in the area to remain cautious and immediately report any unusual behaviour in animals.

Officials said further action will be taken after laboratory tests confirm whether the dog was infected with rabies. Meanwhile, health and veterinary departments have stepped up surveillance in the area to prevent any potential outbreak.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman