A minor girl was bitten by an off-leash dog inside a lift of an upscale group housing society in Noida, sparking calls from city residents for penalties on owners who allow their canines to roam free in common areas.
The incident occurred at the Lotus 300 Society in Sector 107 on May 3, and a video of the incident went viral on social media.
In the CCTV footage, a girl can be seen alone in the lift. As the doors open, an unleashed pet dog enters and bites her on her right arm. The dog’s owner quickly follows and removes the canine from the scene.
The visibly distressed girl is shown shaking her hand in pain as she hurriedly presses the lift button to close its doors. Moments later, the dog attempts to re-enter but is thwarted as the elevator doors close just in time.
The video prompted strong reactions from viewers, with many expressing outrage over the incident.
Rajiva Singh, president of the Noida Federation of Apartment Owners Association (NOFAA), stressed on the the need for strict enforcement and advocated for heavy penalties on dog owners who fail to keep their pets leashed in common areas of societies.
Several incidents of dog bites have been reported from Noida in recent times. In January, police booked the owner of a German Shepherd dog after it bit a domestic worker at the Galaxy Royal Society in the Gaur City 2 area of Noida Extension, also known as Greater Noida (West).
In October last year, a retired IAS officer was assaulted by a group of residents in the upscale Parx Laureate society of Noida’s Sector 108 after a dispute arose when he objected to sharing the lift with a dog.
