A three-year-old girl was critically injured after three to four dogs attacked her while she was playing outside her home in Jaora, Ratlam district, on Sunday afternoon, according to police and her family. The child, identified as Zoya, suffered more than eight wounds on her head, abdomen and back and was referred to Ratlam Medical College after receiving initial treatment at a local hospital.
Deputy Inspector General Nimish Agarwal said Zoya, the daughter of Firoz Khan and a resident of Dhakdipura, was playing outside her house when the dogs suddenly attacked her. The animals reportedly knocked her down and repeatedly bit and scratched her. A wound on her head was described as nearly two inches deep.
Family members and neighbours rushed to the spot after hearing the child’s screams and drove the dogs away. She was taken to a hospital in Jaora, where she received primary treatment before being referred to Ratlam Medical College because of the severity of her injuries.
At the medical college, doctors administered injections and placed the child on a drip. Her father said she remained unconscious during treatment. Doctors were expected to treat the deep head wound and place stitches on Monday.
The incident has also raised questions about the management of dogs that gather around residential and childcare areas. Zoya’s father alleged that the dogs were strays that had been adopted by two people in the neighbourhood. He further alleged that leftover food was regularly fed to the group near an Anganwadi close to the family’s home, attracting the animals to the area.
According to Firoz, the two people linked to the Anganwadi include a former councillor who currently works as a government contractor and an Anganwadi worker. These allegations have not been independently established in the supplied report.
Jaora City police registered a case following a complaint by Zoya’s mother, Heena B. Police booked the two individuals under Sections 291, 296(B), 351(3) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The charges include negligent conduct relating to an animal, verbal abuse and aggravated criminal intimidation, according to the report.
The case comes about a month after a two-year-old girl was mauled to death by dogs in Ratlam, highlighting a continuing concern over child safety around residential neighbourhoods and public facilities in the district. The immediate official action reported in the case is the registration of the police complaint and the child’s ongoing medical treatment.
