Today, the Delhi High Court sought responses from the Delhi government, New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), and Delhi Police regarding a plea filed by a man  seeking compensation of ₹50 lakh following the tragic death of his 18-month-old daughter, who was fatally attacked by a pack of stray dogs.

Justice Subramonium Prasad emphasized that the authorities must submit their responses within 10 days, detailing the measures taken to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. The Court also expressed concerns about individuals feeding stray dogs, which can lead to them becoming territorial and more prone to attacking people who enter their territory.

''The problem is that there are people coming in vans and feeding the dogs. That’s why these dogs are not going anywhere and that is why they have become too territorial and that is why they attack anyone who comes there. They are becoming a menace for pedestrians and, therefore, feeding stray dogs is something people need to look at''

''Feeding stray may be good but you are taking away their capacity to go and find food. They have nothing left to do,” Justice Prasad remarked.

He mentioned that the case would be heard on Wednesday, March 13, and directed the authorities to ensure the preservation of CCTV footage.

The plea was submitted by Rahul Kanaujiya, a resident of Dhobi Ghat, Tuglak Lane. He argued that his daughter, Divanshi Kanaujiya, was attacked, dragged to a secluded area, and fatally mauled by a group of violent and aggressive dogs. He contended that despite directives from the court and guidelines issued by governmental and civil authorities, the problem of stray animals, especially aggressive and violent dogs, persists in the city.

Kanaujiya said that he belongs to economically marginalised society and even though he along with several other residents of his locality has raised the concerns about the dog menace, their concerns were ignored and the violent and aggressive dogs have been deliberately left around the area where he resides. He demanded that the authorities must enforce the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, and take action to capture and treat the violent and ferocious dogs.

The plea also requested directions for the Delhi Police to investigate the incident involving his daughter's death and to conduct a thorough investigation against the Officers-in-Charge responsible for capturing and treating the dogs.