In a groundbreaking ruling on Tuesday, the Punjab and Haryana High Court declared that individuals who fall victim to dog bites are now entitled to financial assistance, with compensation capped at Rs 20,000. The court, led by Justice Vinod S Bhardwaj, specified that cases involving a single tooth mark would merit a compensation of Rs 10,000.
Justice Bhardwaj’s bench articulated, “In instances of dog bites, financial aid must not be less than Rs 10,000 per tooth mark. In cases where the flesh has been torn off the skin, the minimum compensation will be Rs 20,000 per ‘0.2 cm’ of the wound.”
The court emphasized that the primary responsibility for compensation lies with the State, with the right to recover the amount from defaulting state entities or private individuals, if applicable.
To expedite relief for victims, the court mandated that compensation awards must be processed within four months of filing a claim.
This pivotal judgment stems from the court’s scrutiny of 193 petitions lodged by victims of dog bites and accidents involving stray and wild animals in Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana.
As part of the directive, the court urged states and union territories to establish committees, chaired by respective deputy commissioners, to register and investigate these cases. The station house officer is tasked with filing a due diligence report (DDR) and conducting a thorough investigation into each incident or accident.
The court outlined distinct liabilities: in cases involving injuries caused by pet dogs, owners are liable for compensation, while in instances with stray or wild animals, the onus falls on state or municipal authorities.
“The compensation will be recovered from the defaulting agencies/instrumentalities of the state or the private person, if any,” clarified the bench.
The prevalence of dog bite incidents in the region prompted this legal intervention. The Punjab Health Department reported over 6,50,904 dog bite incidents in the last five years, with 1,65,119 cases in the previous year alone. Notably, Chandigarh experienced a substantial 70% reduction in cases, from 18,378 in 2019 to 5,365 in 2022, as reported by Lok Sabha. Haryana’s health department data highlighted 11,04,887 dog bite cases in the past decade, with Ambala, Jind, and Rohtak emerging as the most affected areas.