Pack of stray dogs attack 10-year-old boy cycling in Faridabad society; hospitalised

NEW DELHI: A 10-year-old boy was hospitalised and underwent head surgery after being allegedly attacked by a pack of stray dogs inside a residential society in Faridabad's Ballabgarh area on Tuesday evening. The incident took place at Mulberry County Society in Sector 70, where the child was cycling with friends when the dogs reportedly mauled him, leaving him with multiple injuries to his body and head. The boy, identified as Parth, remains under treatment at a private hospital in Faridabad's Sector 21A after his condition reportedly deteriorated while he was being transferred to Delhi. Residents said he was initially taken to Ballabgarh Government Hospital and later referred to Safdarjung Hospital because of the severity of his injuries. However, he was admitted to the private facility en route, where doctors performed surgery on Wednesday. The incident has sparked anger among residents, who staged a protest on Wednesday and accused authorities of failing to address the growing stray dog menace in the housing society. According to residents, more than 50 dog attack incidents involving children and adults have been reported in the area over the past few months. Dhirendra Tevatia, a resident of the society and the boy's father, said Parth had been cycling with friends in the basement when the attack occurred. According to Tevatia, the bicycle's chain slipped off and the boy stopped to fix it. While he was doing so, a group of seven or eight stray dogs allegedly present in the basement descended on him. "After Parth was attacked by dogs, all the friends fled the basement and rushed to the security guard stationed at the society's main gate. The guard arrived with a stick and drove the dogs away. Within minutes, the dogs had left Parth critically injured. He is being treated in the hospital", Tevatia said. Residents said the boy's screams alerted his friends, who ran to seek help from the society's security staff. By the time the guard reached the spot and managed to chase the dogs away, the child had already suffered serious injuries. The incident has renewed concerns over the presence of stray dogs inside residential complexes and prompted demands from residents for urgent measures to prevent similar attacks in the future.