Stray dog mauls two children

KOZHIKODE: Two three-year-old girls were seriously injured when they were mauled by a stray dog in localities on the outskirts of this city, police said on Friday.

Krishna, who was playing in front of her house at Edakkad, was attacked first by the dog on Thursday evening. She suffered injuries to her nose, lips and cheeks.

Within minutes, the dog pounced upon Theertha at adjacent West Hill and bit her face and shoulder. The dog chased the girl and mauled her as she tried to run into her house.

Both children were rushed to the Medical College Hospital where Krishna was referred to the plastic surgery ward and Theertha to the ICU, police said.

Theertha was later shifted to a private hospital.

People said the same dog had attacked some other children in the area earlier in the day but was chased away by them.

Accusing the local corporation of failing to rid the area of stray dogs even after such incidents were reported recently, locals said the dumping of hotel waste in huge quantities was the root cause of the problem.