Dog terror: 12-year-old mauled to death in Pattan; protests rock north Kashmir against local Municipality, SMC

Srinagar: Protests rocked Pattan after a 10-year-old boy was mauled to death by stray dogs at Singhpora.

 Locals said a pack of dogs pounced on Azad Manzoor Ganie of Gund Ibrahim Singhpora and dragged him away. He was badly bitten before people rushed in to save him.

 “People rushed to chase the dogs but the boy was grievously injured. He died en route to sub-district hospital Pattan,” locals said.

Massive protests rocked the area with people calling out Patan Municipality and Srinagar Municipal Corporation for negligence 

Locals said it is not the first incident when dogs have attacked people.

They said the population of dogs has increased in the area, which is posing threat to people, particularly children.

 “From Gund Ibrahim to Singhpora, we always spot a large pack of dogs. SMC brings the dogs from other areas and abandon them in Pattan. As a result, people fear to move out of their houses after dusk,” said a group of protestors.

 People alleged that the local municipality has failed to take any action in this regard.

“They are just mute spectators and do nothing in this regard. We fear that more people may fall prey to these dogs if their population is not controlled,” the protestors said.

 Data released by Anti Rabies Clinic at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) Hospital, revealed that 52, 594 persons have been bitten by the dogs from 2013 to September 2021. Of whom 2780 people were bitten from April to September 2021. On average, two people die every year due to dog bites.