Tragedy Strikes as Stray Dogs Kill Three-Year-Old Girl in UP Village
A family's holiday visit to their hometown in Moradabad turned into a nightmare when their three-year-old daughter was attacked and killed by a pack of stray dogs. The horrific incident occurred in Kazipur village on Monday night, sending shockwaves through the community.
The Fatal Attack During Playtime
According to police reports, the young girl had gone outside to play with other children in the neighbourhood. She ventured near a local pond with her friends. When she failed to return home after nearly an hour, her family grew increasingly worried and began searching for her.
Local residents joined the frantic search effort. About two hours later, they discovered the child near the pond with stray dogs gathered around her motionless body. The villagers immediately drove the animals away, but it was too late. The family rushed to the scene only to find their daughter lying lifeless on the ground.
Station Officer Krishna Kumar from Dilari police station provided details of what happened. He explained that when the children approached the pond, a group of stray dogs in the area became aggressive and started barking loudly. While the other children managed to run to safety, the three-year-old girl could not escape quickly enough. The dogs attacked her viciously, causing fatal injuries that led to her tragic death.
Family's Heartbreaking Account
The child's father, Naushad Ahmed, shared his devastating story. "She was playing when they dragged her away," he said, describing how the dogs pulled his daughter some distance from their house during the attack. The 35-year-old father works with a private firm in Delhi, where the family normally resides. They had returned to Moradabad for a two-week holiday when tragedy struck.
"I came to Moradabad and lost my child," Ahmed said, his voice filled with grief. His younger brother, Irshad Hussain, lives in Moradabad and manages the family jewellery shop there.
The grieving father has made an appeal to local authorities. "We have complained to the district administration so that such an incident does not happen to any other child," he stated. Police confirmed that no formal case has been registered yet, as the family has not filed an official complaint.
Growing Anger Over Stray Dog Menace
Mohammad Kallu, former pradhan of Kazipur village, expressed strong criticism of local authorities. He alleged that the stray dog problem in the area has been worsening steadily. Neither the district administration nor the municipal corporation has taken effective action to control the situation, according to Kallu.
"This is the first time an animal has killed a person in our village," he revealed. "There is widespread anger among residents about this terrible incident."
When contacted about the attack, Chief Veterinary Officer of Moradabad Sunil Dutt stated that action in cases of animal attacks falls under the jurisdiction of block development officers and other local authorities. Block Development Officer of Bilari Prem Singh responded by saying that an operation to catch stray animals would be launched soon.
Supreme Court's Strong Warning
This tragic incident comes at a time when the Supreme Court is actively hearing a suo motu case related to the stray dogs issue across India. On January 13, a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N V Anjaria made strong observations about the failure of authorities.
The justices noted that authorities had not taken meaningful action to address the stray dog problem for 75 years. Justice Vikram Nath delivered a particularly stern warning during the hearing. "It's clearly a failure on their part, for 75 years," he stated. "And they have created a worse situation. That's what we want to put to the states to take them to task for this."
The court indicated it might order substantial compensation payments from authorities in cases of deaths caused by stray dog bites. Justice Nath elaborated on this point, saying, "For every dog bite, and every death or injury caused to a child or old or feeble person, we are likely to fix heavy compensation to be paid by the state, for not having done anything for the last 75 years."
The Supreme Court's strong stance highlights the growing concern about stray dog attacks across the country. This tragedy in Kazipur village serves as a painful reminder of the urgent need for effective measures to protect vulnerable citizens, especially children, from such dangerous encounters.
