Six-Year-Old Girl Mauled to Death by Stray Dogs in Odisha

Bhubaneswar: A six-year-old girl, Chandini Harijan, was tragically killed by a pack of stray dogs in Phupgaon village, Koraput district, while visiting her grandparents. The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon as Chandini and her elder brother played in a nearby field.

At least five dogs attacked Chandini, dragging her away. Her brother tried to intervene but was overwhelmed and fled to seek help. Villagers rushed to the scene, finding Chandini severely injured. Despite efforts to save her, she was declared dead at Kumuli Medical Center.

This tragedy has left the village devastated and reignited concerns about stray dog attacks in Odisha. In November, an elderly woman in Balasore district was also killed by stray dogs.

Odisha has reported over 500,000 dog bite cases in the past two years, with 1.7 million stray dogs across the state. Authorities have been criticized for failing to address this growing menace, which has caused widespread fear and outrage among residents.

The state government is under increasing pressure to implement effective measures to control the stray dog population and prevent further tragedies.