UP: Dogs enter Sitapur school, attack girl

LUCKNOW: A pack of dogs entered a school in Sitapur and attacked a four-year-old girl, leaving her injured, reviving the haunting memories of a spate of attacks by feral dogs in 2018 in the district. The victim, identified as Chandni, an upper kindergarten student of Hira Public Inter College in Khairabad area of Sitapur, was rushed to the community health centre and is undergoing treatment.
“Chandini went to drink water from the tap in the school playground around 9.30am on Friday, when staff and students heard her screams and rushed to help. They saw a pack of dogs attacking the girl,” said Khairabad SHO Ajay Yadav.
The school teachers and support staff chased the dogs away, rescued the girl and took her to hospital.
School principal, Vimlesh Kumar Dixit said he has given a written complaint to police, saying some miscreants had been slaughtering animals illegally near the school campus and selling meat. “The stench of rotting animal remains makes it difficult for students to study. Moreover, birds swoop on the shops and drop flesh pieces on school campus,” he added.
“The dogs leap over the boundary and enter our premises in search of flesh and attack students in the playground. The stench of rotting flesh becomes unbearable. When it increases, it makes children fall sick,” Dixit said in his complaint.
SHO Yadav denied the allegations of any illegal meat shops running near the school, but said that remains of dead animals were found dumped near the school by police.
“We are trying to work out a solution to stop locals from dumping animal carcasses at the spot,” he added.
The incident brought back the haunting memories of the feral attacks in 2018, leading to the death of 14 children and over 50 being reportedly injured.