Double Dog Attack at Powai: Woman Scientist Hospitalized with Critical Injuries, Needs 20 Stitches

Mumbai, March 25: A 37-year-old lady scientist was brutally attacked by two pet dogs a Doberman and a pit bull within a Powai housing society on March 22. The savage attack inflicted serious injuries, including a ripped thigh muscle and a disfigured face that needed 20 stitches and total nose reconstruction.

Terrifying Five-Minute Ordeal

Describing the ghastly experience, the victim said she was waiting outside her building when a car drove inside the society compound. Two dogs came out, while the owner stayed inside the vehicle. The pit bull was on a leash and being held by a helper, but the woman could not tell if the Doberman was held back.
The pit bull suddenly attacked her. “I was shocked but attempted to scare him off. Instead, he began pawing my leg,” she said. The Doberman sprinted at her before she could do anything, sending her crashing to the ground.

“Both dogs started biting my clothes and snarling. I was being attacked, but the driver, the helper, and the owner of the dog did nothing,” she said. “One of them tore my jeans and ripped out a piece of flesh, while the pit bull bit down on my nose and tore it off. I screamed for assistance, but nobody came for almost five minutes.”
Lastly, some of the residents came to her rescue and were able to drag the dogs away. “I was in agony, covered in blood,” she added. Her neighbors took her to a hospital where her husband, a retired defense personnel, attested that doctors had to rebuild her nose.
“This was an attack that could have killed me. For a while, I did not think I would make it,” she added.

Dog Owner Blames the Victim

Rather than expressing sympathy, the owner of the dogs purportedly blamed the woman for the attack. “He said I provoked the dogs by running, but I did not move. I was stationary before they attacked me,” she explained. The owner of the dogs resides in another building within the same complex.

Call for Responsible Pet Ownership

After the attack, the victim has also called for responsible pet owners. “If you love your pets, control them. Leash them in public places. Your pets can love you but also hurt others. If a child was in my position, they would not have survived,” she explained. She emphasized that this kind of negligence exposes other people, particularly children and the elderly, to extreme danger.
Legal Action Initiated

The incident was reported to the Powai police and they subsequently called on Jalvayu Vihar CHS. The victim‘s statement was made at the hospital and an FIR was filed against the dog‘s owner, Divesh Virk, driver Atul Sawant, and helper Swati under Section 291 (negligent act with regard to animals) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Powai Police Station Senior Inspector Jitendra Sonawane confirmed, “We have begun the investigation. No one has been arrested yet. Notices have been sent to them to come for questioning.”