A 9-year-old girl from Badlapur died after being attacked by a stray dog on May 22. The deceased, Ritika Karochiya, lived with her parents in Badlapur. The incident occurred near her house on May 4 when a stray dog bit her thumb while she was playing with friends.
According to health officials, passersby and locals rushed to the scene and rescued the girl. Her parents were informed, and she was taken to the Primary Health Center in Badlapur, where she received one rabies injection. She also received a second dose on May 7. However, she did not visit the hospital for the third dose scheduled for May 11.
Her health began deteriorating on May 21, and she was taken to a private hospital, where doctors diagnosed hydrophobia and advised her parents to shift her to Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai. Unfortunately, she died during treatment on May 22.
Jyotsna Sawant, Superintendent of Badlapur Rural Hospital, said, “There were a total of 3,324 reported dog bites last year, with 254 cases classified as serious. Furthermore, 14 cases were referred to the Central Hospital in Ulhasnagar for advanced treatment. We suspect she died due to rabies. As of now, we have not yet received the official cause of death report.”
The girl’s family has demanded urgent action from authorities to sterilize stray dogs and control their population to prevent future bite cases. Dog bite incidents have seen a sharp rise across the Badlapur jurisdiction.
