BENGALURU: What should have been an ordinary, even joyful phase of life has been violently upended for Shalini Kumari Dubey, a young working professional and mother to a 17-month-old toddler.
Days that once revolved around work, cuddles, and caring for her breastfeeding child are now spent in a hospital bed, recovering from a brutal dog attack that has left her with more than 80 stitches across her face, throat and head — and scars that go far beyond the physical.
On the morning of Jan 26, Shalini, 31, stepped out for a routine morning walk near home on 13th Cross in HSR Layout's Teachers' Colony. Within seconds, her life changed irrevocably. A neighbour's pet rottweiler allegedly released on to the road without a leash or muzzle, lunged at her, pinning her to the ground and attacking her face and neck.
CCTV footage shows the dog charging at the woman the moment its owner opened the gate. "There was no chain, no muzzle, no safety measures," said the victim's husband Satya Prakash Dubey
Shalini survived, but only just. She underwent nearly eight hours of surgery. One deep wound, 7cm long, was dangerously close to her airway. "Another centimetre and it could have been fatal," said Dubey. Doctors have warned the family that some scars may be permanent.
Hospitalised for more than a week, Shalini is physically healing but emotionally shaken. She struggles with flashbacks and anxiety, and has begun consulting a clinical psychologist.
What troubles her most, however, is not her own pain but her child. "She keeps asking for her mother," said Dubey, adding: "At night, she cries inconsolably."
For Shalini, the big worry is whether her young child will recognise her due to her facial injuries. With Shalini incapacitated, their daughter is being cared for by the infant's grandmothers. The child has already lost close to 1kg of weight. Her entire family lived in trauma for more than a week. Both husband and wife were unable to work since the incident. Their child was not breastfed, and fear of dogs has intensified.
"This is not about dogs-versus-humans. This is about irresponsible ownership. My wife's life changed forever. No family should go through this," said Dubey.
Neighbours claim the dog had displayed aggressive behaviour earlier as well. Dubey said a delivery executive was once attacked. "There were warnings. The owners ought to have acted back then."
A police complaint was filed after the hospital flagged it as a medico-legal case, and an FIR was registered against the dog's owner for negligence. Neighbours allege the owner has since gone missing, even as the incident renews questions around enforcement of leash and muzzle rules and accountability of pet owners.
When TOI visited the area, the dog's owner was not to be seen anywhere and the house was locked.
According to one neighbour, the dog was fine and wasn't aggressive. "That day, within seconds, it attacked the lady on the road. Luckily, the owner was right behind and tried to pluck the dog out. Or else, it would have been worse."
Legal notice to dog ownerA senior police officer told TOI legal action has been initiated against the dog owner, N Amaresh Reddy. Police have identified the dog breed as rottweiler.
"Investigating officer has served a legal notice to Reddy, who appeared before the police the very next day after the case was filed. After taking statements from him, we sent him back. However, he will have to appear again as the investigation proceeds," the officer said.