6 children killed in dog attacks in 5 days in UP

Sitapur: A 10-year-boy was mauled to death while another was injured by feral dogs yesterday in two separate incidents which are the latest in a series of attacks that have claimed lives of six kids in five days and left this district terrorised, officials said on Sunday.

Such is the fear these attacks have generated here that school attendance has dipped, police are doing extra patrolling, while men go to their orchards and fields armed with rods and axes.

On Saturday, Qasim was grazing his goats when a pack of strays attacked him. He did not survive, a Taalgaon police station official said.

Not far away in Biharipur village, another boy, Irfan, was brutally mauled in a similar attack, the official added.

“Since November 2017, 12 children have fallen prey to dogs while six have been injured,” district magistrate Sheetal Verma said. Ms Verma said assistance was sought from the Lucknow Municipal Corporation to catch the dogs. Till date 22 dogs have been caught, she said. UP government minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi, who visited on Saturday, said financial aid will be provided to affected families. Concrete measures will be adopted to counter the menace and every community health centre in the area will be equipped with adequate vaccines and medicines, Ms Joshi said.