Girl Dies After Dog Bite; Rabies Suspected

A tragic incident unfolded in Saharanpur's Khatakhedi area where a seven-year-old girl, Zikra, died on Tuesday. This occurred just five days after she was bitten by a stray dog and mere hours after receiving her second anti-rabies vaccine dose. Her family strongly suspects rabies as the cause of death.

Zikra was bitten on the leg on May 1 while going for tuition. She received her first anti-rabies vaccine dose on May 2 and the second on the morning of May 5. Her condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly that afternoon, with symptoms including fever, spasms, and foaming at the mouth, leading to her death later that day at a private hospital.

While the family points to rabies, municipal corporation officials have disputed this, stating the dog that bit the child had been vaccinated and later tested negative for the virus. Medical experts explained that dog vaccinations take time to become effective, and human treatment requires a full five-dose schedule.

This incident brings renewed attention to the stray dog menace in the district, which sees over 3,000 dog bite cases monthly. A similar incident ten days prior involved an eight-year-old boy mauled to death by dogs.