12-year-old injured after attacked by community dogs in Ghaziabad high-rise

Meanwhile, after taking note of the incident, the Ghaziabad municipal corporation said that they have sent a team to sterilize the community dogs in the high-rise

A 12-year-old girl suffered severe injuries after being attacked by a pack of community dogs at a high-rise in Raj Nagar Extension on Friday, officials aware of the matter said, adding that the incident, captured on video, later went viral online.

A video showed approximately six dogs attacking her as she walked towards her house. Later, a passing delivery boy intervened and rescued her from the dogs.

The girl’s family said that around 6.50 am on Friday, she was returning from a local temple when she was surrounded by dogs. A video showed approximately six dogs attacking her as she walked towards her house. Later, a passing delivery boy intervened and rescued her from the dogs.

“She sustained severe injuries on her thighs due to dog bites. The incident left her traumatized, and she was hesitant to attend school. However, due to an upcoming exam on Saturday, we insisted she go. These community dogs, numbering around 40-50, have previously attacked people,” said Amit Mishra, the girl’s father, a Class 8 student.

Other residents also decried the attack, noting that the dogs tend to converge in large numbers during such incidents.

Kamlesh Rai, another resident, said, “A group of dogs surrounded me, and one of them bit me. Fortunately, a guard and another resident rushed to my aid.”

The high-rise accommodates approximately 1900 flats. According to Ashish Awasthi, the joint secretary of the AOA, the population of these community dogs has nearly doubled over the past two years, with over 40 present in the high-rise. He said that previous attacks and efforts to establish a designated feeding area for the dogs, but some animal lovers opposed this idea.

Ruchin Mehra, an animal activist from Raj Nagar Extension, suggested that while strays have rights, people’s safety should also be a priority. “Animal lovers should also take up responsibility in case of such incidents. However, the lax attitude of the corporation has led to the scenario of the growing population of dogs in Ghaziabad,” he said.

Meanwhile, after taking note of the incident, the Ghaziabad municipal corporation said that they have sent a team to sterilize the community dogs in the high-rise.

Dr. Anuj Singh, the corporation’s chief veterinary and social welfare officer, said that roughly 50% of the dogs in the area were already sterilized. “After sterilization, the dogs’ aggressive behavior tends to diminish. Plans for a designated feeding spot are also in the works, following discussions with residents,” he said.

The officials said that there is an estimated population of about 48,000 dogs in Ghaziabad City in 2020 and they had sterilized 23,360 community dogs so far.