Thane: Mad dog bites 10 kids in one day in Ulhasnagar

Ishwar Nupe (9) and Vinod Vijay Gavai (10)

A stray dog has struck terror among the residents of Ulhasnagar after it went on a mad rampage and bit 10 children on the same day. All the kids had to be taken to hospital and five of them had to be admitted for severe injuries.

Sumit Nishad (12) and Harshada Chavan (7)

Sunday attack
All of the attacks were separate incidents as the kids reside in different areas like Sainath Colony, Saraswati Nagar and Raigad Colony. Vijay Kalbande, additional civil surgeon at the Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar, said, "The incident took place on Sunday afternoon. Out of the 10 victims, we admitted five for treatment as they had suffered severe bites, while the remaining five were discharged. Most had suffered injuries on their legs, while a few were bitten on their arms."

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Official speak
Yuraj Badane, assistant municipal commissioner and public relations officer of Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation said, "We have received 4,000 doses of medicines from the government that has been handed over to the central hospital as it attends to most such patients. According to our medical officer, Rajaram Reejwhani, in collaboration with the Nanded Animal Welfare society, we have sterilized around 1,000 stray dogs since April. The population of stray dogs is now down to around 10,000."

However, sources said that Reejwhani is merely the acting medical officer and there hasn't been a permanent officer for many years. "The figure of 10,000 stray dogs was in 2009. Since then, sterilisation has also not been done. In last two years, no funds or tenders have been approved for sterilisation, so how can they claim that they have conducted drives?"

Read Story: Thane: Stray dog on the loose bites 20 in Ulhasnagar

Two of the patients were later shifted to KEM hospital in Mumbai for further treatment. This is hardly the first time that stray dogs have gone on rampage.