Chhatarpur (Madhya Pradesh): Over three dozen people, bitten by stray dogs in Jawhar and Pathapur areas in the city on Sunday, had to face a lot of problems because there was no anti-rabies vaccine in the district hospital. The stray dogs created a menace and bit more than three dozen people, including a BJP leader, in just a few hours.

More than 36 people, including Vice president of the BJP’s district unit Ashok Dubey, were bitten by dogs between 2pm and 8pm. According to BJP’s district unit president Chandrabhan Singh Gautam, the incident occurred when Dubey was going out of the office after holding a meeting with party workers.

The party workers took Dubey to the district hospital. A resident of Pathapur Raghvendra Singh Bundela said a pack of stray dogs attacked him near a pond in the ward. The dogs also injured a nine-year-old boy Vivek and other residents in the Pathapur area.

Dr Rajesh Mishra, posted in the district hospital, said the BJP’s district unit vice president, along with 35 people, was vaccinated. Those who sustained minor injuries were sent back home after first aid, but those who were seriously injured were admitted to the hospital.

When a large number of people queued up outside the district hospital, it came to light there was no anti-rabies vaccine. When Dubey expressed anger against the hospital management for non-availability of vaccines, civil surgeon Dr GL Ahirwar opened the vaccine centre and treated the patients.

When the issue was put up before chief municipal officer Madhuri Sharma, she said nobody had initially informed her about the incident. Just as she came to know about it, she sent a team to the spot, Sharma said.