‘At Cost Of Humans’: Social Media Boils After Stray Dogs Attack Foreign Coaches At Delhi’s JLN Stadium

JLN Dog Bite Case: The incidents of foreign coaches getting attacked by stray dogs while training at Delhi’s JLN stadium have turned X users furious, as they asked if we were protecting stray dogs at the cost of humans.

Two international para-athletics coaches, Japanese coach Meiko Okumatsu and Kenyan coach Dennis Maragia, were bitten by stray dogs in separate incidents while training at the JLN Stadium practice track in New Delhi. The coaches, who are in India for the World Para Athletics Championships, fell victim to the stray dogs, sparking concerns over stray animal control in the city.

A stadium guard also fell victim to a dog bite. All three incidents took place within 30 minutes, Times Now reported.

The medical report revealed that Okumatsu had lacerated wounds on her left calf from the dog bite, requiring stitches and treatment with anti-rabies vaccination, immunoglobulin injections, and tetanus shots at Safdarjung Hospital. Similarly, Mwanzo was bitten on the right calf and received identical treatment.

Social Media Furious Over Stray Dogs Biting Coaches At JLN

The incident sparked a heated debate on social media, with many people expressing their opinions on the issue of stray dogs in Delhi. Some individuals were critical of the situation, with one person asking, “Protect strays at the cost of humans.”

Another person posted, “Embarrassing moment for host nation India.” Others took a more nuanced view, with one commenter saying, “People who had nothing to do with the dog problem in Delhi protested against a good solution and disappeared.”

Meanwhile, some people couldn't resist taking a sarcastic tone, with one individual writing, “Aur zaleel hona hain. All this loss of respect because gated community aunties and uncles can’t live without their resident neighborhood Tommy eating their Parle-G biskoots and biting bystanders.”

What Did Organising Committee Say

Addressing the incident, the organising committee of the Para Athletics Championships released a statement. “On August 21, 2025, a formal request was made to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to safeguard the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium by removing stray dogs from the venue. Acting swiftly, the MCD cleared the premises well before the start of the Championships, and dog-catching vehicles have been stationed at the stadium from Day 1 to ensure constant vigilance and immediate response.”

“Despite these precautionary measures, the challenge of individuals repeatedly feeding stray dogs near the venue has allowed animals to re-enter the premises. Unfortunately, this led to two isolated incidents at the warm-up track on October 3, 2025, with coaches of Japan & Kenya getting bit,” the statement explained