Delhi Horror: Six-Year-Old Loses Ear In Brutal Pitbull Attack, Dog Owner Arrested

A six-year-old boy suffered grievous injuries after a pitbull allegedly attacked him in Northwest Delhi's Prem Nagar area on Sunday, police said. The shocking incident took place outside the child's home and was entirely captured on CCTV.

The footage shows the boy chasing a ball when the neighbour's pet pitbull suddenly charged at him, biting his head and tearing off his ear. The violent attack continued for several seconds before two people managed to pull the dog away from the child.

Dog owner arrested

Police have arrested the dog's owner after registering a case at the Prem Nagar police station based on the family's complaint and the medical examination.

"A case has been filed under sections 291 (negligent conduct with respect to animals) and 125(b) (rash or negligent act endangering life and safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The dog's owner, Rajesh Pal, has been arrested," a senior police officer confirmed.

The boy's grandfather, Kameshwar Rai, expressed anguish over the incident, telling PTI that the child was playing around 3 pm when his ball rolled near the house where the dog was tied. "Everything happened in a moment," he said. Rai alleged that the dog slipped out of the owner's grip and attacked the child.

According to him, the injuries are severe, with eight to ten deep bite wounds on the back of the child's head, the entire right ear torn off, and damage to his teeth and face. "Thankfully, he is conscious and able to talk. Two boys from the lane managed to pull the dog away and save him," he added.

Rai claimed that the same dog had earlier attacked four other children, and residents had already requested police intervention to remove it for public safety. "No serious action was taken," he alleged.

Eyewitness recounts the attack

Eyewitness Satish Kumar said the attack occurred around 3:15 pm. "I was at my shop when I saw the dog running. It grabbed the boy by the face. A man nearby helped me, and together we tried to pull the dog off," he said.

Kumar said the boy was bleeding heavily, and once freed, ran in panic. "His ear had been completely torn off. I ran behind him carrying the severed ear in my hand because I feared it might get lost," he added.

Police details

A PCR call reached the Prem Nagar police station at 5:38 pm, reporting the attack and that the injured child had been taken to the hospital by his parents.

Police said their preliminary investigation found that the dog came out from a neighbour's house and suddenly attacked the boy while he was playing in Vinay Enclave. The dog belongs to Rajesh Pal (50), a tailor.

The child suffered severe injuries, including the loss of his right ear. He was first taken to BSA Hospital in Rohini and later shifted to Safdarjung Hospital, where he is receiving treatment.

According to police, the pitbull was brought home about one-and-a-half years ago by Rajesh Pal's son, Sachin Pal, who is currently in jail in an attempt-to-murder case.

Police have collected the child's medical records and recorded the statement of his father, Dinesh (32), who works at a private factory in Kirti Nagar. Based on the findings, a case has been registered and the dog owner arrested, officials said.

(With PTI inputs)