In a deeply tragic incident, 22-year-old Brijesh Solanki, a state-level kabaddi player and Pro Kabaddi League aspirant, has died of suspected rabies, nearly two months after being bitten by a stray puppy he had rescued from a drain.
According to a Times of India report, Brijesh — a gold medallist at state championships — did not take an anti-rabies vaccine after the bite, mistakenly believing it to be insignificant. His symptoms appeared only days before his death, and by the time medical help was sought, it was too late.
A disturbing video showing Solanki’s deteriorating condition surfaced online on Sunday, a day after his passing. In the video, Brijesh can be seen suffering severe distress, reportedly unable to swallow and displaying signs of confusion and restlessness — common symptoms of advanced rabies.
His coach, Praveen Kumar, recounted:
“He thought it was a minor injury from kabaddi. He never imagined the puppy bite could be fatal. He just ignored it and went on with training.”
Rabies is a 100% fatal but 100% preventable disease, if post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is administered soon after a bite from a potentially infected animal. In India, where stray dog and animal bites remain frequent, awareness about rabies vaccination continues to be worryingly low among both rural and urban youth.
Health authorities emphasize that even minor scratches or licks from stray animals should never be ignored, especially when the animal’s vaccination history is unknown.
