Santu’s death unites fans across Indo-Bangla border
Times of India | 4 March 2025
123 Kolkata: Santu, the dog from Khulna in Bangladesh who often crossed over to Barasat for treatment with her owner and had turned a social media star, died at her home on Sunday, leading to a pall of gloom on either side of the Bongaon border.
The eight-year-old Labrador, bought from Barasat by Tanushree Roy, a Khulna resident, had over 5 crore followers on Facebook. The page, started by Tanushree, was flooded with condolence messages from India and Bangladesh on Monday.
Visa issues, however, prevented her from travelling to Kolkata for treatment this time. "Her parents consulted me over video calls several times in the last few weeks, and I recommended a few tests. But those could not be done in Khulna," said a veterinarian in Salt Lake who treated Santu.
Tanushree and her parents often crossed over to Barasat for Santu's treatment. While they would stay at Barasat, Santu would be taken to a vet clinic in Salt Lake. She suffered from fatty liver and anaemia. This made locals acquainted with the dog, and many started following her page on social media.
Her pictures on social media drew millions of views and likes. Santu came to India several times a year for her treatment, said Shankar Mallick, a Barasat resident from whom she was bought by Tanushree in May 2016.
"We are terribly upset at the news of Santu's death on Sunday. She struggled with illnesses for the last couple of weeks. I was aware of that. I was in touch with Santu's parents over the years," said Mallick, adding that though the Roys from Khulna bought the Labrador from him, he remained emotionally attached to her. "She was a sober, gentle, and loveable girl, so her parents would bring her to my place while visiting India."
Sayantan Das, another Barasat resident who has a similar attachment with Santu, met the dog many times. "I would try to meet Santu if I got to know that she was in Barasat. I'm shocked like many of her fans here."
During a visit to the City Centre in Salt Lake in Dec 2022, Santu was recognised by many who clicked pictures with her. Actor and animal rights activist Debashree Roy met her during one of her visits to Kolkata a few years ago.