Residents Panic as Suspected Rabies Dog Bites Thirteen People in Busy Indapur Area
Residents Panic as Suspected Rabies Dog Bites Thirteen People in Busy Indapur Area
On Sunday morning, August 17, an incident in Indapur town turned chaotic when a stray dog, suspected to have rabies, attacked 13 people near a busy college area. The incident highlighted serious shortcomings at the local sub-district hospital, which has been without anti-rabies serum (ARS) for the past four months
Residents reported panic as students, senior citizens, and passers-by who were bitten and bleeding heavily rushed to the Indapur sub-district hospital. The hospital only had basic anti-rabies vaccinations available. Patients were advised to travel to Baramati or seek treatment at private hospitals. The situation caused anger and frustration among the local population.
Victims Criticize Hospital Response
The victims expressed frustration over the lack of immediate treatment, describing the hospital’s response as inadequate. Those affected were forced to travel to another facility for the essential treatment.
Meanwhile, officials acknowledged that the hospital did not have ARS available during the incident. While the hospital had recently been permitted to procure the treatment using local funds, delays in procurement and billing processes prevented timely access. Authorities also noted that emergency purchases from local pharmacies could have helped in urgent cases.
The district has multiple sub-district hospitals, all expected to maintain stocks of critical vaccines, including ARS, as dog bite cases are frequent in the region. Officials reported that several hundred dog bite cases occur monthly, and while vaccines are usually available, patients exposed to potentially rabid animals require the serum for effective treatment. Authorities confirmed that ARS would be supplied to all local hospitals within the week.
Meanwhile, the stray dog responsible for the attack was caught and neutralized by municipal staff, bringing relief to residents. According to reports, veterinary officials are still testing the animal to determine if it was rabid, noting that healthy dogs rarely bite multiple people, and rabid dogs usually display clear symptoms and die within a few days.
