Incidents of stray dogs attacking beachgoers on rise in Goa, says govt-appointed agency

On May 22, lifesaver Roshan Patil was bitten by a stray dog on Betalbatim beach in South Goa while patrolling, while on May 21, another lifesaver Sarvesh Tandial was bitten by a stray dog at Calangute beach, it said

A government-appointed lifesaving organisation in Goa reported on Thursday that there had been multiple cases of stray dogs attacking beachgoers in the state recently. The attacks have targeted foreign tourists, a Bollywood actor, and lifeguards. Drishti Marine Lifesavers, which has been tasked with lifeguarding the beaches, claimed in a statement that three of the agency's lifesavers were assaulted on separate occasions by roving dog packs on various state beaches. According to the report, first aid was administered to them during these two-week-long episodes in May 2024. On May 22, lifesaver Roshan Patil was bitten by a stray dog on Betalbatim beach in South Goa while patrolling, while on May 21, another lifesaver Sarvesh Tandial was bitten by a stray dog at Calangute beach, it said.

Per a PTI report, last weekend, Sashikant Jadhav, a Drishti Marine lifesaver and operations manager for the North and South Goa sectors, was bitten thrice by a stray dog while patrolling on an e-cycle at Mandrem beach, it said. A spokesman of the agency said, "A 35-year-old woman from Russia was bitten by five dogs. She was saved and taken to the nearest hospital for treatment. Also, a woman from Canada was chased by a pack of four dogs and bitten on her right thigh. She was taken to a nearby medical facility." According to the spokesperson, there have also been additional reports of reports of beachgoers and stray dogs getting together recently around the coastline, with Benaulim and Colva beaches turning into hotspots for these kinds of situations.

"Bollywood actor Rayya Labib sustained bruises and scratches after she was chased by stray dogs last week at Colva beach while holidaying in Goa," he added. Last week, a 24-year-old Russian woman was bitten by a pack of stray dogs while cycling on Benaulim beach. She sustained minor injuries and was rescued by nearby fishermen, he said. "Mid-May, a 24-year-old woman from Loutolim was bitten six to seven times by stray dogs on the Benaulim beach, and later taken to the Primary Health Centre in Loutolim, even as a senior citizen at Colva beach was also chased by a pack of stray dogs during his morning run but managed to remain unharmed," the spokesman said.

(With Inputs from PTI)

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