A routine afternoon of play turned into a nightmare for a six-year-old boy in northwest Delhi’s Prem Nagar when a neighbour’s pit bull pounced on him, leaving him grievously wounded. The incident occurred on Sunday and was recorded by a CCTV camera in the congested Vinay Enclave lanes.

According to the police, the emergency call alerting them to the attack came in at 5:38 pm. By then, neighbours had already helped the child’s parents pull him out of the dog’s grip and rush him to BSA Hospital in Rohini. He was later transferred to Safdarjung Hospital, where he continues to receive treatment for extensive injuries, including the complete loss of his right ear.

CCTV Shows Pit Bull Charging at Child

The CCTV visuals reveal the child chasing a ball when the dog suddenly charged out from a neighbouring home. A woman from the dog owner’s family is seen trying unsuccessfully to stop the animal before taking it back inside. The pit bull belonged to 50-year-old Rajesh Pal, a tailor. His son, Sachin, who is currently in jail in an attempted-murder case, had brought the dog home around 18 months ago.

Eyewitness Satish Kumar described the horrific moment the dog lunged at the child. “I was sitting in my shop when I suddenly saw a dog running. The dog grabbed the child by the face, and the boy was in serious pain. Another man who was nearby helped me; together we tried to pull the dog away. I held the dog by its limbs, and finally it let go,” he said. Kumar added that he picked up the boy’s severed ear as the child ran in fear. “His ear had been completely torn off. The child was panic-stricken and running to save himself, and I was running behind him with his severed ear in my hand because I was worried he might lose it completely.”

The child’s grandfather, Kameshwar Rai, claimed the dog had become a recurring threat in the neighbourhood. “We complained to the police and asked that the dog be taken away for everyone’s safety, but no concrete action has been taken so far,” he stated. Recalling the moment the attack began, he said, “Yesterday around 3 pm, my grandson was playing, and he missed a throw and the ball went rolling towards the house where the dog was tied; then everything happened in a flash.” He also detailed the extent of the injuries: “His teeth are broken, and his face is badly injured. Thankfully, he is at least conscious and able to talk. Two boys from the lane managed to rescue him by pulling the dog away.”

Police File Case

Police teams later obtained medical reports and recorded the statement of the boy’s father, Dinesh, who works at a private factory in Kirti Nagar. Based on these details, a case was registered under sections 291 (negligent conduct with respect to animals) and 125(b) (rash or negligent act endangering life and safety of others) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Rajesh Pal has been arrested, and the pit bull has been taken to a shelter.

Local residents allege that at least four children have previously been targeted by the same dog. One girl narrowly escaped an attack by ducking into a nearby basement.

The alarming incident has renewed calls for stricter monitoring of aggressive pet breeds and civic accountability in densely packed neighbourhoods.