This story is from March 18, 2019

Canine terror back in Sitapur, boy mauled to death

Canine terror back in Sitapur, boy mauled to death
Representative image
LUCKNOW: A five-year-old boy was allegedly mauled to death by stray dogs in Mahmudabad area of Sitapur, reviving the horrific memories of waves of attacks by feral stray canines in the district last year in which 14 children were killed and over 50 were injured.
Police said that Priyanshu (5), a resident of Behta village in Mahmudabad tehshil, had gone to attend nature’s call in the fields, 500m away from the house, along with his father Ramnath on Friday evening.
While Ramnath returned home, Priyanshu stayed back for a while. Suddenly, a pack of stray dogs attacked and mauled him. Hearing noises, villagers rushed to the spot following which the dogs fled leaving behind a badly injured Priyanshu.
Mahmudabad SHO Gyanendra Pratap Singh said that villagers rushed the injured boy to the local community health centre where he succumbed to injuries. Ramnath took away the body and performed the last rites without informing police.
Police officials came to know about the incident on Saturday when someone called UP100. Thereafter, district magistrate and superintendent of police were informed about thte incident.
DM Sitapur Akhilesh Tiwari, who visited the village, told TOI on Sunday, “According to the medical report, there were multiple dog bites on Priyanshu’s body. However, the post-mortem was not done because his father did not inform police and performed the last rites. A team of doctors and forest officials is probing the matter. Police have also been instructed to submit a report.”
Mehmudabad circle officer, VB Singh said villagers, who had gone to rescue Priyanshu, had tolds police that they heard barking of dogs but did not see any when they reached the spot.
Priyanshu’s father Ramnath has not given his statement yet, he added. Last year, scores of attacks by feral stray dogs were reported from villages in Sitapur district from November 2017 till July 2018, in which 15 children died and 50 injured. Sitapur administration had roped in Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) scientists to study the reasons of the attack by dogs but no concrete reason emerged. No attacks were reported after July 11, 2018. DM said all the preventive steps will be revived once again now.
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