Toddler’s dog attack puts spotlight on stray menace, residents meet DC, seek immediate measures
The attack on a two-year-old boy by a stray dog in the cantonment area has brought the growing stray dog menace back into focus, with residents today seeking urgent intervention from the administration and the Cantonment Board launching a drive to catch stray dogs.
Vikramditya Sharma
Sep 9, 2026 06:26
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Ferozepur, September 9, 2026: The attack on a two-year-old boy by a stray dog in the cantonment area has brought the growing stray dog menace back into focus, with residents today seeking urgent intervention from the administration and the Cantonment Board launching a drive to catch stray dogs.
Residents and representatives of various social organisations met Deputy Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma and urged her to ensure effective measures to prevent such incidents. They said packs of stray dogs roaming residential areas had become a serious concern, particularly for children and elderly persons.
Raghav (2), son of Kapil Bansal, was attacked by a stray dog while playing outside his house in Street No. 1 on Tuesday evening. The dog reportedly mauled him for nearly 10 minutes before residents rescued him. He suffered serious facial injuries and remains admitted to a private hospital. His father said the child would undergo surgery to prevent infection in the wounds.
The attack, which was captured on CCTV, has intensified concern among residents. They demanded a sustained campaign to catch stray dogs, besides sterilisation and proper shelter arrangements.
Following the residents’ complaint, the administration deputed SDM Abhishek Sharma to look into the matter and assured the victim’s family of all possible assistance. Officials also assured residents that steps would be taken to control the stray dog population and establish a shelter.
Meanwhile, the Cantonment Board conducted a dog-catching drive on Wednesday morning. Sanitary Superintendent Abhishek Pandey said such drives were conducted periodically, but alleged that some dog lovers created hurdles. He appealed to residents not to feed stray dogs on streets and in residential areas, saying this resulted in dogs congregating at such places. He added that a sterilisation drive was also under way.
Residents Girjesh Aggarwal, Raj Kumar, Deepak Aggarwal, Anuj Goyal, Gagandeep Aggarwal, Ashish Singal and Sushil Gupta demanded sustained action, saying the attack on Raghav should serve as a warning to the authorities.
