A five-year-old girl was killed after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs in the Dhaneipur area of Uttar Pradesh’s Gonda district on Saturday morning, police said.
The incident occurred around 7 am near a primary school in Madhavganj, approximately 200 metres from the victim’s residence. According to Dhaneipur Station House Officer Rajesh Kumar Singh, four children had stepped out of their homes when the dogs suddenly attacked them.
Child succumbs to severe injuries
The deceased, Muskan, daughter of Bishun Lal and a resident of Kalyan Nagar ward, had gone out along with her elder sister Mehak (6) and two other children, Naitik and Sunaina.
While the other three children managed to escape with minor injuries, Muskan sustained severe wounds. Hearing the children’s cries for help, local residents rushed to the scene, prompting the dogs to flee.
Muskan was immediately taken to the Community Health Centre and later referred to the district medical college. However, doctors declared her dead upon arrival.
Officials assure action
The tragic incident has left the locality in shock and grief. Residents expressed concern over the growing menace of stray dogs in the area, stating that complaints had been raised earlier but little action had been taken.
Local councillor Pawan Tiwari and Brijbhushan Verma, representative of the Nagar Panchayat chairperson, visited the bereaved family and assured them that necessary steps would be taken to capture the stray dogs and prevent further attacks.
Police confirmed that further action is being taken in coordination with civic authorities. The incident has once again highlighted the urgent need for effective stray animal management and child safety measures in residential neighbourhoods.