Stray dogs maul 10-yr-old to death
NABHA: In the second incident of its kind in the city in eight months, 10-year-old Dhiraj, a Class 3 student, was mauled to death by stray dogs in Mehs village on Saturday. In May 2018, a seven-year-old boy was killed in the same village, also after a canine attack.
Both the victims lived in a colony of migrants at a brick kiln in the village. Their parents work as labourers.
Villagers said in Saturday’s incident, four children were running after a kite, when a pack of dogs attacked them. Three of the boys managed to escape, but the feral (an animal in a wild state) dogs caught hold of Dhiraj. He died of injuries sustained in the attack.
Upset villagers also vented out their ire at this reporter. “What is the use of your reporting when the dog terror continues, even after the heartwrenching incident last year? Please leave us alone.”
Mithilesh Kumar, the father of the deceased, said, “No administrative official has visited the spot since last year. No initiative has been taken to curb the menace.”
Another villager added, “These dogs feed on the stuff left at Haddarodi (the place where carcasses are disposed of). These days, they are turning wild in the absence of scavengers like vultures and eagles.”
Nabha SDM Kala Ram Kansal said, “I will seek directions from the higher authorities as these are stray dogs, and not rabid dogs.”