Surat: Two separate stray dog attacks in Surat and adjoining areas left two children seriously injured on Thursday evening, once again highlighting concerns over the growing stray dog menace. An 8-year-old girl was attacked at a garden on Ghod Dod Road, while a 6-year-old boy was mauled by three dogs in Kadodara. Both were rushed to hospital for treatment.

The first incident occurred on May 22 at Ghantiwala Garden on Ghod Dod Road. Eight-year-old Ananya Raju Herode had gone to the garden with her family when a stray dog allegedly attacked her after spotting an ice cream bag she was carrying.

According to Civil Hospital sources, Ananya was returning with the ice cream when the dog apparently mistook the bag for food and suddenly turned aggressive. Before people around could react, the dog pounced on her and caused serious injuries. She was taken to Civil Hospital in a bleeding condition.

Her mother, Sangeetaben, said several stray dogs were roaming inside the garden. “I heard my daughter screaming and immediately rushed her to Civil Hospital,” she said.

In another incident around 6 pm the same day, six-year-old Ronit Singh of Gokuldham Society in Kadodara’s Tatithaiya area was attacked by three stray dogs while he was out with his family near a canal.

Family members said the dogs knocked him to the ground and bit him on several parts of his body, including his legs, neck, head and ears. He was shifted to New Civil Hospital and is undergoing treatment.

Ronit’s father, Karan Kumar Singh, said this was the third major dog attack in the area and claimed packs of stray dogs frequently roam the locality. He said two teenage girls nearby helped save his son by driving away the dogs.

The incidents triggered anger among local residents, who accused authorities of failing to address the growing stray dog problem despite repeated attacks. DeshGujarat