Toddler mauled by stray dog in Gzb

A one-and-halfyear-old girl from Vijay Nagar ended up with 30 stitches to her face after being attacked by a stray dog on November 19 outside her house in Behrampur locality. The doctors at MMG hospital operated on Riya Singh on Monday and later said that she had suffered severe facial injuries and needed an operation. Her condition is stable after surgery, they added.

“The child is stable now and she had to take about 30-35 stitches to her face. Two surgeons took up the surgery and she is under observation at our ward,” said Dr Manoj Chaturvedi, chief medical superintendent of MMG district hospital.

Riya’s father farms vegetables for a living and has leased a plot for the purpose in Behrampur.

“My wife and I had gone to the fields when our daughter somehow ventured outside and was playing there around 2.30pm. Suddenly, a stray dog attacked her. She suffered severe injuries to her face and she was left bleeding. The local residents chased away the dog. The dog seemed to have come from outside our locality; it was not one of the strays we see around,” said Satpal Singh, Riya’s father.

Singh said he rushed Riya to a hospital in Ghaziabad and doctors referred her to a hospital in Noida which turned away the family citing non-availability of medicines and doctors.

“Then I went to a private doctor and got her anti-rabies injections. With the help of media persons, I brought my daughter to MMG hospital on Monday and she was operated upon. The girl is stable but in pain and keeps crying whenever she sees me. So, I mostly stay outside the ward,” Singh said.

The incidents of dog attacks are rising in Ghaziabad.

On December 9, 2014, sevenyear-old Shoaib, a kindergarten student, was mauled to death by a pack of community dogs in Sikrod village.

More recently, a minor boy was attacked in the lift of a highrise in Raj Nagar Extension in the presence of the dog owner on September 5.

On September 3, a 10-year-old boy was attacked by a pet dog at a park in Sanjay Nagar and ended up with about 150 stitches to the face.

Last week, corporation’s veterinary and social welfare officer Dr Anuj Singh said that land for a second animal birth-control centre — the first is operational near Nandgram — at Siddarth Vihar where sterilisation of about 75 strays will be conducted on a daily basis and more resources will also be added. The project report has been sent to the state administration for approval and provision of funds, Singh had said.

The child had to take 30-35 stitches to her face. She is stable but under observation. Two surgeons took up the surgery.

R MANOJ CHATURVEDI, chief medical superintendent, MMG hosp