"MCD has been thick-skinned": Animal rights activist after foreign coaches bitten by stray dogs at JLN stadium

New Delhi [India], October 4 (ANI): After two foreign coaches were bitten by stray dogs at the warm-up track of Jawaharlal Nehru (JLN) Stadium, animal rights activist and Trustee at People for Animals India, Gauri Maulekhi, strongly criticised the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), accusing it of negligence and corruption in handling the city's stray dog population.
Maulekhi said the incident underscored the MCD's failure to act despite repeated directions from the Supreme Court.
"The recent incident of dog bite in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium has only highlighted the fact that MCD has been thick-skinned even despite the directions of the Supreme Court on 22nd August, despite the contempt matter that is going against them in the Delhi High Court," he added.
She alleged that Delhi's 20 Animal Birth Control (ABC) projects are "riddled with corruption," with nearly half not even approved by the Union Government under the Animal Birth Control Rules.
"The 20 Animal Birth Control (ABC) projects in Delhi are all riddled with corruption. Half of them are not even approved by the Government of India as per the Animal Birth Control rules. The data, the facts and figures are not being made transparent. RTI responses have established that there is gross corruption," she said.
Highlighting another concern, Maulekhi claimed that several unauthorised NGOs were illegally picking up dogs from residential areas and relocating them elsewhere.
"Dogs are still being picked up by unscrupulous illegal NGOs and picked up from certain RWAs, only to be dropped elsewhere...This is increasing dog bites because dogs are territorial. If they are picked up from one place and relocated to another place, they tend to get anxious and scared and they fight for their life and that is when incidents occur," Maulekhi explained.
Calling for accountability, Maulekhi demanded that "the officer in charge of Animal Birth Control in MCD must be suspended and a clean and proper officer who can enforce the law should be put in place..."
The incident at JLN Stadium has once again brought the spotlight to Delhi's long-standing issues with stray dogs.
Kenya's sprint coach Dennis Mwanzo, who was bitten by a dog on the warm-up track at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium during practice at the ongoing World Para Athletics Championships, said that he has "pain in his leg and a little headache".
Coach Meiko Okumatsu (Japan) & Coach Dennis Maragia (Kenya) sustained bites while supervising training. Both were immediately attended and provided on-spot medical attention at the Athlete Medical Room. They were then taken to Safdarjung Hospital, where they received appropriate treatment, after which they were taken to their respective hotels.
After the incident, Dennis told ANI that he was with his team's athlete when he felt "something touching his leg".
"I have pain in my leg and a little headache...I have been taking water since morning because I thought it was dehydration, but I still have a headache...I was with my athlete for a warm-up. After I clapped for her to go, I felt something touching my leg. I thought it was my physiotherapist. When I turned, I saw a dog, and it was already biting me...When I saw dogs, I thought they were friendly but I came to realise that they are not friendly...When I saw the Japanese Coach, I did not know what happened. Later, she told me she was bitten by a dog," said Dennis.
According to the organisers, on August 21, a formal request was made to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to safeguard the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium by removing stray dogs from the venue. Acting swiftly, the MCD cleared the premises well before the start of the Championships, and dog-catching vehicles have been stationed at the stadium from Day 1 to ensure constant vigilance and immediate response.
Despite these precautionary measures, the challenge of individuals repeatedly feeding stray dogs near the venue has allowed animals to re-enter the premises. Unfortunately, this led to two isolated incidents at the warm-up track on October 3, 2025, with Coaches of Japan & Kenya getting bitten. (ANI)