‘Sanitary patrol worker injected with canine drug’

'Once extent of health issues caused to sanitary patrol worker by assaulters is determined, legal action to be taken'

RAWALPINDI:

In a shocking incident, a group of local women allegedly assaulted a team of sanitary patrol workers assigned to sterilise stray dogs and administered a worker with drugs meant for the strays.

According to a spokesperson for the police, due to the severity of the victim’s condition, he was immediately taken to the hospital. He said officials of the health department filed a complaint against the women involved in the assault at the Pirwadhai police station. The complainant stated that the sanitary patrol workers were assaulted while vaccinating stray dogs in Khayaban Sir Syed at Mohammadi Chowk.

Reportedly, 15 unidentified individuals, including Sana Raja and Anila, along with two women, attacked the health department team while they were administering injections to the dogs.

The complainant further claimed that the accused also confiscated 50 grams of medicine and important documents from the team. Sanitary worker Tauqeer Baig, he added.

Health Department Director Dr Ansar informed that the affected personnel is receiving treatment at DHQ Hospital, and the medical report will be available by Sunday. Once the report is obtained, the extent of the sanitary patrol worker’s health issues caused by the drug will be known and appropriate action will be taken against those involved in the incident. The spokesperson said as per preliminary investigation, the women who attacked the government officials had formed a local NGO for the protection of stray dogs and cats. However, their treatment of the health department team was deemed illegal.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2023.