Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Tuesday called for the establishment of a national task force to address the pressing issue of stray dogs in India. Chidambaram stressed that a systematic and scientifically driven approach is imperative to tackle this problem effectively.

He emphasized the necessity of addressing the stray dogs issue on a national scale, asserting that it is unreasonable to expect inadequately equipped local administration authorities to effectively handle the problem.

“We need a national task force to deal with the #StrayDogs issue immediately,” Chidambaram said in a social media post on X. “An ethical and scientific approach is needed. Expecting inadequately equipped local administration authorities to deal with this is pointless. I have highlighted the seriousness and urgency to the PMO.”

Chidambaram’s call for action comes in the wake of a tragic incident that claimed the life of Parag Desai, the executive director of the renowned Wagh Bakri Tea Group. Desai, aged 49, succumbed to severe brain injuries sustained after falling on a hard surface while being chased by stray dogs during an evening walk on October 15.

The private hospital in Ahmedabad where Desai was admitted immediately after the fall on October 15 evening, however, said no marks of dog bite were found on his body.

Shalby Hospital issued a statement saying “When the patient was brought to the facility in an unconscious state, it was stated that he fell after being chased by dogs, but apparently there were no dog bite marks on his body”.

“When the patient was brought to the hospital at around 6 pm (on October 15), he was unconscious and not responding. A CT scan revealed acute subdural hematoma with bilateral frontal contusion. Desai was admitted to the ICU and advised to be kept under observation and treatment for 72 hours,” it said.

Meanwhile, Sarkhej police in the city have registered a case of accidental death. Further investigation is underway, reported PTI quoting a police official.

Desai was one of the two executive directors on the board of the Ahmedabad-based tea group, the other being Paras Desai. Parag Desai was the son of Managing Director Rasesh Desai. He had done his MBA from Long Island University in the USA. He spearheaded sales, marketing and export departments for the group and was an expert tea tester and evaluator.

The incident has raised questions about the safety of pedestrians and residents amid the burgeoning population of stray dogs across India, especially in urban areas.