UP: Three children mauled to death by stray dogs; over a dozen this year

Three children were mauled to death by stray dogs in Uttar Pradesh's Sitapur district in the last 24 hours in two separate incidents.

The three children have been identified as Shamli (11), Khaild (12) and Komal (10).

By the time people gathered to rescue them, the children had died. As per reports, the incidents occurred in two villages of Khairabad area of Sitapur.

The first incident was reported from Tikaria village around 6 am on Tuesday. An 11-year-old girl, later identified as Shamli, along with few other children had gone to collect felled raw mangos from an orchard. While the rest of them ran away, she was attacked by a pack of dogs who mauled her. On hearing her screams, people rushed to the spot at which the canines escaped. But the attack had left the girl seriously injured and she succumbed soon after.

In another incident, Khaild was mauled by dogs in nearby Gurpalia village. They ate half of Khalid's body before the villagers could shoo them away.

The third victim of stray dogs was Komal in Kolia village. While the guard and others climbed to mango trees, they pulled Komal down by grabbing her leg in their jaws when she tried to climb the tree to save her life.

Villagers claimed the group of dogs operate within a stretch of 12 kms.

Earlier, in January, a 12-year-old boy had been mauled to death. In all, 14 children have been mauled by dogs in the past four months in Khairabad area. Hundreds have reportedly been injured in such attacks.