Another child mauled by strays in the same society says she still gets nightmares about that attack; residents say they filed complaints but faced resistance from animal lovers residing there
Another child mauled by strays in the same society says she still gets nightmares about that attack; residents say they filed complaints but faced resistance from animal lovers residing there
They came to Noida with the dream of a better future for their four children. In eight days, the family returned to their hometown in Singrauli district of Madhya Pradesh, carrying along only despair and the mauled remains of their one-year child.
“We are not going back to Noida ever again, not even if we don’t find a better source of income elsewhere,” said Sapna, the mother of the toddler who died after being mauled by a stray dog inside an upscale housing society in Noida’s Sector 100.
The incident happened on Monday afternoon when Ms. Sapna and her husband Rajesh Kumar, both labourers, were working at a construction site at Lotus Boulevard residential society and their baby was lying nearby. According to the police, the dog left the child grievously injured and he succumbed during treatment at Yatharth Hospital on Tuesday.
Financial duress
Ms. Sapna said her family of six was undergoing financial stress and decided to come to Delhi-NCR hoping to earn more money. “We weren’t getting well-paying jobs in Singrauli. In Noida, both of us started earning ₹400 each a day working at the construction site,” she said, adding that they worked at the society for three days only.
According to residents of Lotus Boulevard, this is not the first time such an incident has happened in the area. “Street dogs have not only entered our society but also attacked residents and workers,” said Vinod Sharma, a resident.
He said the residents filed several complaints but some animal lovers living in the society have resisted action being taken against strays roaming freely in the area.
2018 incident
A similar horrifying incident was reported in Lotus Boulevard on January 1 in 2018, when a six-year-old girl was attacked by at least six dogs, who bit her limbs and dragged her for around 50 metres. The girl, Mahi, now 11, said she still gets nightmares about that attack. “It’s been almost five years but I have not stepped into that society. My parents still work there but I don’t think I can go there ever.”
A bright student at school, Mahi still struggles to walk. “The doctors told me that these wounds on my legs would vanish but it still pains when I walk. I don’t know how long this will continue,” she said. “I always dreamt of joining the police. Now, I am not sure if I can pursue that dream,” she said.
Taking about the child’s death, Nisha Kanojia, Mahi’s mother, said, “I have been through this trauma. I don’t know how the family will bear the loss.”
Ms. Kanojia said some of her friends tried to raise the dog menace issue with the “higher authorities” but they were asked not to come to work if it were that big of an issue. “Where would poor people like us go,” asked Ms. Kanojia.
On Wednesday, several teams of dog catchers were called to the society to take the stray dogs to a veterinarian. A dog catcher, who did not wish to be named, said, “These incidents have seen an uptick recently; people need to be sensitised about dogs but societies too need to create safe spaces for residents, especially children. NGOs need to work hand-in-hand.”
The society, meanwhile, has cancelled Deepavali celebrations and a number of residents have sought the resignation of the Apartment Owners’ Association members following the incident on the premises.
