Thane: Man dies after being bitten by stray dog and cat

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A 27-year-old man died of severe health complications after reportedly being bitten by a stray dog and a cat in Thane district of Maharashtra, an official said, PTI reported.

Bhagwan Mandlik, a resident of Kalyan town, died at a hospital in Mumbai on Thursday evening after his health deteriorated.

According to Mandlik's family, he was bitten by a stray dog while strolling in the Golden Park neighbourhood two months ago and then by a cat a few days later, but he did not seek medical assistance for either incident, PTI cited.

The civic authorities said in a release that Mandlik did not report both the incidents and did not take a rabies shot.

Earlier this week, he began to have significant symptoms, such as headaches, body aches, and a dry throat. He was admitted to many hospitals before being sent to Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai, where he died, they added.

Dr. Deepa Shukla, the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation's medical health officer, verified the man's death and released a statement advising locals to seek prompt medical attention following any animal bite, PTI cited.

Thane: 249 dog-bite cases seen in Bhiwandi in two days

Five-year-old Raiba Sheikh's family in Bhiwandi had the worst two days of their lives, as their only daughter was admitted to Thane's civil hospital after being brutally attacked by a rabid dog. Her uncle Imran Sheikh said the doctors had told the family she would have to undergo surgery.

"Her father is an auto-rickshaw driver. It happened while she was near a municipal school in Shanti Wadi. Suddenly, she was attacked by the dog, which went on to bite more people, running all the way to a nearby masjid," he said.

In total, there were 45 dog-bite cases in this area on July 8, 2024. Out of the 45, hospital records show that more than 25 were children. The day prior, there were 60 dog-bite cases in Kamat Nagar in Bhiwandi. In just two days, the state-run Indira Gandhi hospital in Bhiwandi was overwhelmed with about 249 dog cases, which included cases from other areas.

Mid-day verified the hospital records, which show victims as young as four years old and as old as those in their 70s. "There were a total of 135 cases on July 8 and 114 cases on July 7. Most of them were adults. There is one paediatric patient admitted here; the rest were discharged. Three more paediatric patients were referred to the civil hospital," said Dr Madhvi, chief medical officer at Indira Gandhi Hospital.

(With inputs from PTI)