Eight-year-old injured in dog attack in Sitapur

In continuing incidents of stray dog attacks in Sitapur district, an eight-year-old boy was mauled by a pack of feral canines in the Pipri Kalan village this morning.

The boy, Luvkush, was picking mangoes when he was attacked by a pack of dogs, police said.

The villagers rescued Luvkush after hearing his screams.

He was admitted to the CHC Khairabad for treatment and his condition was stable, the police added.

In two different incidents on Sunday, four people, including three of a family, were injured by the hounds in Laharpur and Talgaon police station areas.

All four were admitted to the district hospital and later discharged, the police said.

Around 22 villages in Khairabad block of the district are affected by the dog menace. The attacks have so far claimed 14 lives and left over a dozen injured in the district.

The district administration, which is struggling to check the menace, has advised residents against allowing children to venture out alone to mango orchards, since it is where most of the attacks have taken place.

In a statement issued last week, Sitapur District Magistrate, Sheetal Verma, said the administration was not facilitating dog killings and had instead taken measures to check their population in the affected areas.

Earlier this month, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called for action against the strays which had turned violent.