7 devotees bitten by stray dogs in Rameswaram

Rameswaram is one of the holy towns in the southern part of the state and thousands of devotees visit it on a regular basis. Many devotees stay and sleep in mandapams and in public places near the temple and the railway station. 

In recent days, the stray dog menace has grown with the dogs biting many devotees. Early on Sunday morning, seven devotees, identified as Kaleeswari (36), Ranagasamy (64), Rajalakshmi (35), Jafer (39), Balamurugan (12), Nambuthai (55) and Mariammal (59), were bitten by the strays near the Rameswaram Railway station. 

The injured were given first aid in the Rameswaram Government Hospital and then taken to the Ramanathapuram GH for treatment. Their condition was stable and doctors said there was nothing to worry. 

However, Sunday’s incident was not an isolated occurrence. 

According to police sources, nearly 15 devotees were bit by the stray dogs in the past couple of days and in the last one month more than 60 devotees were victims of the stray dog menace. 

In the last two months, close to 130 people were bit by the stray dogs and in the last one year, more than 500 people were attacked by the animals. 

The devotees and social activists in Madurai had demanded that the Rameswaram Municipality take immediate steps to curb the stray dog menace.