Dog Terror: After stray dog attack on Colva beach, Bollywood actor Rayya Labib hospitalized due to medical complications

MUMBAI/PANAJI: As reported earlier, Bollywood actor Rayya Labib was attacked by stray dogs last week while on an early morning walk on Colva beach in South Goa. The incident happened on last Friday morning at around 5.50 to 6 am.

While she was administered first aid and left for Mumbai the same day for further treatment, she had to be hospitalized for three days due to a medical complication, which was aggravated by the dog attack and the injuries she sustained. The dogs who attached her were rabid and any delay in advanced medical care could have resulted in serious infection and danger to her life. She is now out of danger, but has had to cancel several work assignments. She cane down heavily on the South Goa administration for allowing rabid stray dogs to roam freely on beaches frequented by tourists.

According to reports, the actor accompanied by two friends who were visiting Goa to beat the summer heat, were taking a stroll on the beach early in the morning to avoid the crowd. While her two friends were parking their car on a road nearby, Rayya ventured out on the almost deserted beach.

To her dismay, she had hardly walked about 200 to 300 meters on the beach, when she was attacked viciously by a pack of stray dogs who tried to bite and maul her. Taken by surprise, she screamed for help and her friends who were some distance from her rushed to her aid and rescued her from the dogs, but not before she sustained a few bruises or scratches on her leg. Her dress was also torn and ripped apart in places, due to the attempt by the dogs to bite her. She was administered medical treatment and returned to Mumbai the same day.

Speaking to media persons on her return to Mumbai, Rayya said, “I am an animal lover and even feed stray dogs. It was very shocking to be suddenly attacked by strays on the Colva beach, without any reason or provocation. It looks like the dogs were either hungry or irritated about something. A tourist zone like Colva beach should be kept free of strays as it could be a dampener for tourists, particularly foreigners who prefer South Goa for its quiet and privacy. The stray dog menace is growing in Goa and the same was also noticed in the Latin quarter area of Panjim late at night. Besides beggars and touts, the coastal belt and other tourist hangouts are infested by stray cattle and dog, which is definitely bad for tourism.”

This is the second or third incident of stray dog attacks in South Goa over the last one week. Another similar attack took place at Benaulim a few days earlier. An elderly man walking home late night was also attacked by strays on the outskirts of Margao about six days ago.