Kasaragod: In view of rampant stray dog attacks in the state, a father in Kasaragod has taken it on himself to not only protect his ward, but also other kids in the neighbourhood making their way to the madrasa and back.
Sameer, a native of Bekal's Haddad Nagar here, accompanied the children with an air gun to ensure their safety. The video of this journey, which made rounds on social media, has amused many.
Speaking to Malayala Manorama, Sameer said that there was no alternative. He said stray dog attacks were on the rise in the area.
"Children were afraid to go to the school and madrasa due to dog attacks. So I decided to join them on their walk. Now, the children are not so afraid anymore," Sameer said.
Emboldened by Sameer's actions, parents in the neighbourhood are also sending their wards with Sameer's 9-year-old daughter. About 15 children arrive at Sameer's house each morning.
Learning of Sameer's actions, many had reached out to him, congratulating him on his initiative. "Our kids need to go to school. I do this for them," Sameer reportedly told his well-wishers.
Sameer also clarified that his gun does not require a license. He said he has had an air gun for a long time and if shot with it, it would only injure the dog, not kill it.
However, Sameer, who runs a business in the locality, hopes that he won't have to continue this routine for long. "I hope the authorities will take the necessary measures soon."
Sameer's new routine comes amid a backdrop of several incidents across the state wherein stray dogs were reportedly killed by locals concerned by the stray dog menace.
Existing laws in India do not allow the killing of stray dogs.
In 2016, the Supreme Court had warned vigilante groups in Kerala that had taken it upon themselves to shoot down the ferocious canine population and who had gone around distributing cheap air guns to the public and exhorting them to do the same. The apex court had then said that human life was not superior to animal life.
But given the sharp rise in the frequency of attacks and how several lives have already been lost, even the Kerala government is now seeking relaxation from the apex court to cull the number of stray dogs.
