Seven-year-old dies after stray dog attack

A seven-year-old girl has died weeks after a stray dog mauled her on the head in Hyderabad's Kohsar area, marking the second child fatality from dog bites reported in the city this year and renewing questions over the authorities' failure to control the growing stray-dog population. Abeeha, daughter of Nauman Qureshi, was attacked by a stray dog near Lal Quarters close to the airport on September 5 while returning home with her labourer father after attending a Quran lesson. The dog inflicted deep wounds to her head, leaving her in critical condition. She was initially taken to Kohsar Hospital and later shifted to Civil Hospital, where she underwent surgery. According to Abdul Qayyum Rajput, a Jamaat-e-Islami Kohsar Zone office-bearer, the bite was so severe that a dog tooth reportedly became lodged in the child's skull. He said she also received the prescribed vaccination and was continuing medication when she developed a fever and later died at home during treatment. The death comes just weeks after another six-year-old boy, Muhammad Rayan, died after being bitten by a stray dog in Latifabad. Rayan, son of Kaleem Malik, was attacked on July 5 and bitten on the head. Although he completed his vaccination and initially appeared to recover, symptoms associated with rabies subsequently developed. He died on July 31. The two deaths have heightened concern over the spread of stray dogs across Hyderabad, where residents say packs of dogs can be seen roaming in streets.