3,460 dog bite cases in Barwani & Khargone

Time of India

09-07-2025

Barwani: A surge in dog bite cases in Barwani and Khargone districts has sparked alarm, with 3,460 incidents reported between April and June this year. Seven persons have succumbed to the bites, with six suspected to have been bitten by wild animals resembling dogs.
Despite govt doctors dismissing rabies as the cause, a viscera test confirmed the presence of rabies virus in one of the deceased, suggesting a potential outbreak among both canines and humans.
The situation escalated with multiple attacks in late June, including an incident on June 23 where 32 people, including 12 children, were bitten in two places in Khargone district, including Khargone district headquarters.
Similar attacks occurred in Barwani, with a single dog biting 16 people in Silawad on June 25. These incidents prompted local authorities to convene emergency meetings to address the crisis.
In May, a separate wildlife attack on 17 people in Rajpur subdivision, Barwani, resulted in six deaths. Initially attributed to a rabid dog, the discovery of a jackal carcass later confirmed the involvement of wildlife. This incident highlighted the complexities in distinguishing between wildlife and dog attacks, with significant implications for compensation, as wildlife-related deaths warrant an Rs 8 lakh payout, unlike dog bite fatalities.
Health officials confirmed rabies in viscera reports of a deceased from the Rajpur cases, though the efficacy of administered anti-rabies injections remains under review. The recent death of a 75-year-old man in Balwadi, following a suspected dog bite, underscores the urgency of the situation.
District collectors in Barwani and Khargone have initiated measures to control the dog population through vaccination and sterilisation, in line with Supreme Court guidelines.
Experts, however, caution that these measures may not fully prevent future attacks.
"We promptly organised a review meeting with various departments to control the situation by vaccination and sterilisation and also gave the instructions to study such abnormal behaviour of stray dogs and plan their treatment. Apart from this, it has been made sure that the availability of anti-rabies vaccine and other related medicines in each PHC of the district," Khargone Collector Bhavya Mittal told TOI.
Barwani Collector Guncha Sanobar said that under National Rabies Control Programme, a joint meeting of various departments was organised and instructions to run awareness campaigns, ensure availability of necessary injections and medicines in hospitals, vaccination and sterilisation of dogs, and registration of pet dogs were given. Apart from this, instructions were also given to record information related to animal attacks on NCDC portal.
Veterinary experts, including Dr Prashant Tiwari, attribute the rise in dog-human conflicts to factors such as food scarcity, road accidents, and unfulfilled mating instincts. Dr Tiwari emphasised that a single dog attacking multiple people could indicate rabies, necessitating thorough diagnostic testing.
Despite the alarming rise in cases, officials remain reticent about acknowledging a rabies outbreak.
Chief Medical and Health Officer of Barwani Dr Surekha Jamre and the then Civil Surgeon of Khargone district hospital Dr Amar Singh Chauhan confirmed that anti-rabies vaccines were routinely administered, yet the lack of testing on biting dogs leaves the rabies status uncertain.
With India reporting approximately 22 lakh dog bite cases in 2024, the country faces significant challenges in achieving its goal of becoming rabies-free by 2030. The situation in Barwani and Khargone serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to address the growing threat of rabies.