8-year-old boy mauled to death by stray dogs in UP

SAHARANPUR: An eight-year-old boy was mauled to death by stray dogs in the Fatehpur police station area here, police said on Tuesday. The incident took place on Monday evening when the victim, identified as Lavish, had gone to a field on the outskirts of his village to collect wheat husk, they said. Station House Officer (SHO) Virendra Singh Rana said the boy was attacked by a group of stray dogs when he was alone, leaving him critically injured, according to news agency PTI. After being alerted over a phone call, his family members rushed Lavish to a primary health centre, where the doctors declared him dead. The police officer said that they have received a written complaint from the family, and that Lavish's body has been sent for a post-mortem. Lavish, a Class 3 student, was the third among four siblings. His father works as a labourer, loading bricks on tractor trolleys in the village. The incident has triggered fear among residents, who say stray dog attacks have become frequent despite repeated complaints to local authorities. Villagers have expressed concern over the safety of children, while officials said further action would be taken based on the post-mortem report.