India, Feb. 13 -- Deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde has directed the Thane district administration to construct permanent dog shelters and intensify sterilisation drives to rein in the stray dog population and reduce the incidence of dog bites.

Shinde, who is also guardian minister of Thane, issued these directives while addressing the District Planning Committee (DPC) meeting in Thane on Wednesday. The meeting was attended by local people's representatives, district collector Dr Shrikrishna Panchal and senior civic and police officials.

Instances of dog bites have made headlines recently, with three locals dying of rabies in the last four months alone, despite being injected with the anti-rabies vaccine. The deaths, which took place ...