RAHIM YAR KHAN: A pack of stray dogs mauled a five-year-old girl to death near Chak 36-Abbasia in Liaqatpur tehsil, some 70km from here, on Tuesday.

According to locals, Anum, daughter of Khalil, and her three-year-old brother Ayan were returning home from fields with their mother when a cluster of stray dogs attacked them.

They said Anum who was critically injured by the dogs scummed to her injuries on the spot.

Some of the locals said that fumes from a factory manufacturing oil by crushing bones of dead animals attracted stray dogs and vultures to the area. They demanded that the authorities concerned should seal the factory.

In June 2015, three minors were mauled to death by stray dogs at Chak 66-Abbasia.

Assistant Commissioner Asif Iqbal said he had sealed the factory after getting registered an FIR under Section 322 against its owner. He said he had ordered environment department assistant director to probe into the matter.

He said the municipal committee and health authority would launch an operation to eliminate stray dogs.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2019