J&K: Dogs maul 8-year-old girl to death in Sopore

SRINAGAR: An eight-year-old girl was mauled to death by dogs in Sopore in the second such fatality in the area in less than a year.

Aiman Adnan Sheikh was attacked in an apple orchard near her home in Sopore’s Seloo village, 55km north of Srinagar, on Friday and died within minutes, doctors said. “The child was alone around 200ft from her house when she was attacked by the dogs,” a police officer said.

According to block medical officer Dr Zulfikar, the child suffered grievous wounds. “She had bites on her face, neck, chest, abdomen and both thighs, including a deep wound in her neck. It was a painful sight for us,” Zulfikar said.

An eyewitness, Suhail Mushtaq Naikoo, said the attack had left the neighbourhood “shaken”. Some residents alleged that dogs were being relocated from Sopore town to nearby villages, worsening the situation.

Sopore MLA Irshad Ahmad Kar of the governing National Conference (NC) recalled that a man had died last year after being attacked by dogs in the area, leaving behind his wife and three young daughters. “There should be proper compensation for deaths due to dog attacks and municipal authorities should be held accountable,” Kar said.