Two children die after dogs maul them in Ballari

BALLARI: Two children died due to dog bites between November 22 and 25 in Badanahatti village of Kurugodu taluk in Ballari district. The deceased Surakshita M (3) and Shantakumar T (7), were reportedly playing outside their houses when they were mauled by dogs.

The attacks have sparked panic among parents, who are afraid of allowing their kids to play outside. In one of the cases, the dog which attacked the kid had rabies. In Badanahatti village, where almost every household has a pet dog, are sometimes abandoned by their owners. In both cases, such dogs are suspected to have attacked the kids.

The district administration has deployed a team of health officials to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.
Dr Janardhana HL, district health officer, Ballari, said, “I visited the village with my team two days ago. A rabies-infected dog had attacked the three-year-old girl, when she was playing outside. Admitted to a hospital, with severe injuries to her head and face, she did not respond to treatment. The seven-year-old boy was not taken to a hospital immediately by his parents, who tried some home remedies.”

Ramappa Harijan, a resident of Badanahatti village, said that the residents now carry sticks while venturing out of their homes. “The dog, which attacked the girl, was later killed by a group of villagers. The whole village is in mourning after the deaths of the two children,” he said.