Faridabad girl, 5, mauled by strays; neighbour booked over sheltering dogs

Child suffered deep bite wounds on legs, waist and back after attack by 3-4 dogs outside home in Suraj Kund area.

A five-year-old girl was severely injured after being mauled by pack of stray dogs as she was playing outside her residence in a Faridabad colony, police said on Monday. A neighbour has been booked for keeping the dogs in an unauthorised shelter inside her residential compound.

(Representative image) Police said dogs were allegedly kept in an unauthorised shelter for years despite repeated complaints by local residents. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Police said that the incident took place between 9:30 - 9:45pm on May 15 right outside the entrance of her house. The victim, Lavanya Kumari, has suffered multiple deep bite wounds in her legs, waist and back from the attack, said police.

Police said the strays were being sheltered by a woman inside her residential compound just adjacent to the victim’s house.

According to investigators, the girl’s mother, identified as Shasha Chaudhary (27) rushed outside after hearing her daughter’s frantic screams. She saw her daughter being attacked by a group of three or four stray dogs.

She then raised an alarm and also managed to chase them away the dogs. The girl was then rushed to Badshah Khan Civil Hospital for treatment.

Police said that a large crowd gathered at the incident spot, angry over the woman sheltering the dogs.

“Locals alerted the police control room after which emergency response vehicles had reached the spot and controlled the situation,” said a senior police officer privy to the investigation.

“It has come to light that the woman has constructed a shelter insider her residential compound for the strays who are free to move on the road too. Locals alleged these strays were aggressive and it has made it difficult for them to move on road,” he added.

road too. Locals alleged these strays were aggressive and it has made it difficult for them to move on road,” he added.

Yashpal Yadav, public relations officer of Faridabad police, said preliminary investigation shows neither the shelter nor the strays were registered with Municipal Corporation of Faridabad. “We will seek MCF’s help for necessary action on the strays as per the Supreme Court guideline,” he said.

On the basis of a complaint by the victim’s father, the woman has been booked under section 291 (negligent conduct with respect to animal) and 351(2) (criminal intimidation) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Suraj Kund police station on May 16.

“A police team has visited the minor at her home whose condition was stable. Investigation was on and we will take necessary action in case against the woman soon,” he added.

Speaking to HT, Kapil Chaudhary, victim’s father, alleged several residents had previously sought help from the police and administration multiple times in the last four years for the removal of the stray dogs, but no action was ever taken. “My daughter is in extreme pain and is even unable to move now due to the deep bite injuries,” he added.

“Locals have asked the woman several times not to give shelter or feed them but she never listened,” he said, alleging that the dogs had chased and injured some adults earlier.