10-year-old girl dies after stray dog attack in Bagalkot

A 10-year-old girl who was critically injured in a stray dog attack in Bagalkot district last week succumbed to her injuries on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at the Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS), Hubballi, officials said.

Bagalkot city municipal corporation commissioner R Vasanna said that the child died due to severe facial injuries despite being given advanced treatment. Doctors who attended her, requesting anonymity, said she was provided the best possible medicines and medical care, but could not be saved as she had sustained serious wounds to her face, especially the mouth and eyes, which made her unresponsive to treatment.

The victim, identified as Alaina Lokapur, was attacked by a stray dog in Sector No. 15 of Navanagar, Bagalkot. She was initially admitted to the Bagalkot District Hospital and was later shifted to KIMS, Hubballi, for advanced treatment, officials said. Despite sustained efforts by doctors, she passed away.

Commissioner Vasanna said the family of the deceased girl would be compensated with ₹5 lakh, expressing grief over the loss. He assured that efforts would be made to ensure no such incident is repeated, so that parents do not lose their children due to the negligence of civic authorities. “We lost the child despite providing good and advanced treatment at the Hubballi hospital. Unfortunately, we could not save her,” Vasanna said.

He said the local elected body had taken essential steps to control and eradicate the stray dog menace, which were further intensified following the intervention of the Supreme Court. He said rehabilitation centres had been established in parts of the district, where nearly 1,000 stray dogs have been sterilised and relocated as per court orders.

Chief of the elected council Savita Lenkennavar described the incident as a black mark on the Bagalkot Town Municipal Corporation. “Even after the Supreme Court’s directions and alerts from the district administration, and despite starting a stray dog eradication drive, we unfortunately lost our girl,” she said.