Manipal, August 23, 2025: A distressing incident occurred on August 20, 2025, near the Canara Bank Training Institute in Ananth Nagar, Shivalli village, Manipal, where a stray dog attacked four women trainees. The complaint, filed by Shrinath Joshi (58), General Manager of the institute, detailed that the incident took place between 9:15 PM and 9:30 PM as the women were walking from Syndicate Bank Junction to the institute after dinner.

The victims, identified as Revathi P., Jaya Pandey, Kavitha, and Deepika, were undergoing banking training at the institute. According to the complaint, an unchained dog, left outside the gate of Gopal Shetty’s residence, attacked Revathi P. and Jaya Pandey, causing injuries. Kavitha sustained injuries while attempting to escape, falling in the process. Deepika escaped unharmed. The injured women were promptly admitted to KMC Hospital in Manipal for treatment, where they received medical attention.

Manipal police registered a case under Crime No. 153/2025, invoking Section 291 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, which addresses negligent conduct involving animals, punishable by up to six months imprisonment, a fine up to ₹1,000, or both. The case targets the negligence of the dog’s owner, presumably Gopal Shetty, for failing to restrain the animal. Investigations are ongoing to verify ownership and circumstances, with police likely to summon the homeowner for questioning.

Section 291 BNS Context: This section, replacing Section 289 of the Indian Penal Code, imposes penalties for negligent handling of animals leading to harm, reflecting a stricter stance on pet-related incidents, as noted in The Indian Express (2023). The rising number of dog bite cases in India, with 27.6 lakh reported in 2023 per the Ministry of Health, underscores the public safety concern.