A migrant labourer sustained severe injuries after being attacked by a pack of stray dogs on the outskirts of Moga on Sunday, reigniting concerns over the stray dog menace in the region. The victim's life was saved after farmers working in nearby fields rushed to his rescue.
Attack details and rescue
The labourer was walking near agricultural fields in Kapure village when a pack of aggressive stray dogs surrounded and attacked him, biting him on his arms, legs and torso and dragging him to the ground. Hearing his cries for help, farmers working in the adjoining fields rushed to the spot armed with sticks and managed to chase the dogs away, saving him from further harm.
The injured labourer was rushed to the Moga Civil Hospital, where he is undergoing treatment for multiple bite wounds. He has been administered an anti-rabies vaccine, according to hospital sources.
Second attack in a week
This is the second such incident to have occurred in the same village within a week. Last week, a 50-year-old farmer, Sarabjit Singh, was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs on an isolated thoroughfare in Kapure village, which is under the jurisdiction of the Mehna police in Moga district.
In that incident, Sarabjit had gone to his fields late at night to irrigate crops and was walking back home along the road when a large pack of stray dogs pounced on him. Overwhelmed and unable to defend himself, he sustained severe bite wounds and deep gashes across his body, succumbing to catastrophic blood loss on the spot. His family, alarmed by his failure to return through the night, went searching the next morning and discovered his heavily mutilated body at the scene.
Residents demand action
The back-to-back attacks within a week have triggered sharp resentment among the farming community and area residents, who have accused the authorities of negligence in implementing animal birth control and vaccination programmes. Residents alleged that the sterilisation drives meant to control the stray dog population existed only on paper, with little to show on the ground.
Farmers pointed out that migrant and farm labourers, who often move around the fields in the early morning and late evening hours, are particularly vulnerable to such attacks. They said that despite repeated complaints lodged by village panchayats and farmer unions over the rising population of aggressive stray dogs in the area, the authorities have failed to take any concrete action.
Demands for urgent intervention
Local bodies have now demanded urgent intervention by the administration, including relocation of aggressive dog packs and a focused drive to address the menace. They warned that continued inaction could lead to a fatal tragedy. The issue has gained further attention after a viral video from Kotkapura showed a pack of five large stray dogs violently attacking and killing a pet dog, tearing it apart within minutes. The footage triggered widespread public anxiety across the district over the predatory behaviour of feral canine packs.
