Anirban, Bishal, Rajib and Kishalay in Biswas’s room. Picture by Abhijit Chakrabarty

Balurghat, March 5: Frequent attacks by stray dogs had robbed them of their playtime.

Their parents had forbidden them to go out for fear of being bitten, and after school, life was getting way too boring, cooped up at home.

So, Anirban, Bishal, Rajib and Kishalay of the Shibtoli here decided to do something to end their “torment”. Today, the four marched to the municipality office and went around asking whom to complain about stray dogs. Word finally got to the municipality chairperson, Sucheta Biswas, who immediately sent for them.

“I was surprised by the boys trying to solve their own problem. I was very impressed that at the behest of their friends, they even gave us a few suggestions on how to tackle the situation,” Biswas said after the meeting with the four.

“Our locality has 15 to 20 stray dogs and whenever we come out to play or ride our bicycles, they run after us,” said Anirban, a student of Class VI. “Kishalay, who is just seven-year-old, was bitten a few days ago and he had to take anti-rabies injections.”

A few days later, Anirban’s sister, Kheya, who is in Class III in Balurghat Girls’ School, was also bitten by a dog.

Kishalay said their parents had forbidden them to play outside. “One day when our friend Pritam was cycling, the dogs chased him. Scared, he tried to go faster, fell down and bruised himself badly,” he said.

More surprises were in store for Biswas, when the boys offered her Rs 200 — an amount saved from their pocket money — and asked her to build a day-kennel for the dogs. “The boys asked me to add some more money to it and build a kennel where the dogs can be kept during the day,” the chairperson said. “They asked me to let the animals free after sunset. After all, they guard the neighbourhood at night.”

Promising to definitely look into the matter, Biswas asked the four friends to get back to her later and tell her whether the civic body had actually carried out her instruction or not.

“The boys are young, but the problem is big. I will see to it that they can, once again, come out to play,” Biswas said.