Srinagar: Concerns over the growing stray dog menace resurfaced in Srinagar’s Press Colony on Monday after senior journalist and founder of Kashmir Monitor, Zafar Meraj, sustained injuries while trying to escape a pack of dogs outside his office.
According to reports, Meraj was chased by stray dogs and fell while attempting to run to safety. Though he was not bitten, he suffered injuries in the incident.
The episode has heightened concerns among journalists working in the area. Umar Ganie, a photojournalist with Kashmir Monitor, said he was forced to use the rear entrance to access his office due to the presence of aggressive dogs near the premises.
“The dogs have created a scary situation here. I had to enter the office through the back door today,” he said.
Following the incident, Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) workers reached the spot and removed two dead puppies found outside a newspaper office. However, the mother dog remained at the location. An SMC worker accompanying a dog-catching van said the animal was aggressive and could not be relocated.
Journalists said the latest incident underscores the persistent stray dog problem in Press Colony, where concerns have repeatedly been raised over public safety.
Last week, a correspondent associated with JKNS and Daily Gadyal was reportedly bitten by stray dogs near the R2 quarters in Press Colony.
The issue comes amid delays in the Srinagar Municipal Corporation’s Animal Birth Control (ABC) programme, which, according to earlier reports, has been affected by outsourcing-related issues. Officials have stated that the sterilisation drive will resume once the process is completed
