Stray dog attack incident On February 19, 2023, a tragic incident occurred in Hyderabad when a 4-year-old boy was fatally attacked by three
stray dogs on a deserted street, with graphic footage circulating on social media. The boy was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead upon arrival. In response to the incident, as the mayor, Vijayalakshmi held a press conference on February 21, confirming that the dogs involved had previously been sterilized as part of the GHMC's animal birth control program. She suggested that the dogs might have become aggressive due to hunger, as a regular feeder in the area had been absent for two days. Vijayalakshmi emphasized the importance of dog adoption and announced plans to put up 600 dogs for adoption each month. However, her comments faced backlash, particularly from the
Congress party, which demanded her resignation and an ex-gratia payment of Rs. 50 lakh to the victim's family. Additionally, filmmaker
Ram Gopal Varma criticized the mayor for her response and expressed frustration with the GHMC's handling of the situation. The controversy continued to escalate, with Varma's comments gaining attention on social media. On March 7, Vijayalakshmi offered a Rs. 9.7 lakh ex-gratia payment to the grieving family of the young victim and reaffirmed efforts to address the issue of stray dogs through awareness programs and control measures. ==References==