IN A horrific incident, a pack of stray canines mauled a five-year-old boy to death in Katol area on Saturday morning. Panicked parents and neighours rushed the victim, Viraj Raju Jaiwar (5), a resident of Dhantoli, Katol, to Rural Hospital where the doctors declared him ‘brought dead.’ As per reports, Viraj and his elder sister were on a morning walk. Suddenly, they were surrounded by a pack of stray dogs who were barking at them continuously. Viraj’s sister tried to shoo them away. However, one of the dogs caught Viraj and dragged him up to an under-construction house. The other canines followed them. Bystanders heard the girl’s screams, they rushed for the boy’s rescue.

 

As neighours spotted the boy being dragged by stray dogs, they raised an alarm and then chased away the canines. Viraj’s condition was serious as he was also bitten by other dogs. He had injuries all over his body. The neck was brutally injured and blood was everywhere. Viraj’s parents and neighbours rushed him to Rural Hospital where the doctors declared him dead on admission. The news about the incident spread like jungle fire in the area with residents criticising the Narkhed Municipal Council for its failure in tackling the stray dogs’ menace. Pointing fingers at some municipal council members, residents alleged that they failed to evolve any proper mechanism to deal with stary dogs and cattle. Katol Police started the probe after registering an accidental death case.

 

This is a second such incident of stray dogs killing children in Nagpur district in the recent past. Earlier, in January this year, a four-year-old Anjali Rawat, was playing in front of her house at village Bharkas near Butibori. Stray dogs pulled her to the ground. The canines bit Anjali on abdomen, back and legs injuring her seriously. Some women residing nearby chased away the dogs and rushed the injured girl to primary health centre (PHC) at Takalghat. She was then referred to Government Medical College & Hospital where she succumbed to her injuries.