A tragic incident has come from Durgabhat, Ponda, where on Friday, a 15-month-old baby girl named Anabiya Shaikh was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs. According to witnesses, the child, who was waiting for her mother to go for Friday prayers, stepped outside her house when the dogs attacked her. Despite attempts by locals to intervene, the girl was severely injured and died shortly after being rushed to the hospital. This marks a continuation of a disturbing trend of stray dog attacks in South Goa, especially affecting tourists in coastal areas.
Local residents, while reflecting on the increase in such incidents, pointed out that the area where the attack occurred is often used as a dumping ground for garbage, attracting many stray dogs searching for food. They have urged the administration to take stringent measures to control the stray dog population and ensure public safety.
This is certainly not the first time such cases have come to light; there have been numerous reports over the years. In fact, last year, India reported approximately 21.95 lakh dog bite cases nationwide, with 37 deaths attributed to rabies or complications from dog bites. Of these cases, over 5.19 lakh involved children under 15 years of age.