A tragic incident in Jalna, Maharashtra, has sparked outrage after a three-year-old girl was mauled to death by a pack of stray dogs, exposing once again the long-ignored issue of civic negligence and uncontrolled street dog population.

On the early morning of October 20, Pari Deepak Goswami, a three-year-old living in the Yashwant Nagar locality of Jalna city in the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, became the victim of a horrifying dog attack. Around 3:30 AM, a pack of stray dogs pounced on her, leaving the residents of the area shocked and grieving. The attack raised serious questions about the Jalna Municipal Council’s failure to handle the growing menace of stray animals despite repeated complaints from citizens.

According to reports, the little girl lived with her parents and elder sister in a rented house. That night, she slipped out of the home unnoticed, which tragically led her into the path of the dogs. CCTV footage captured a pack of six to seven dogs chasing and attacking her. As the terrified child fell, the dogs dragged her to a nearby vacant plot. She died on the spot from severe bite wounds and heavy bleeding, without anyone realizing what had happened in the dark. Later, Police Constable Madan Bahure, who was out for a morning walk, saw her body lying lifeless in the open ground.

Media reports revealed that Deepak Goswami, the victim’s father, hails from Bihar. On the night of October 19, Deepak and his wife had argued over traveling to Bihar for the Diwali festival. His wife was keen to visit their hometown, but he preferred to stay back in Jalna. Eventually, Deepak dropped his wife at the railway station that night. Pari, instead of accompanying her mother, returned home with her father. Later, at about 3:30 AM, she woke up crying for her mother and stepped outside the house searching for her—only to be attacked by the stray dogs while her father and elder sister remained asleep.

Jalna Superintendent of Police Ajay Kumar Bansal confirmed that the child’s death was caused by a stray dog attack.

Public Outcry Over Negligence

The gruesome incident has led to angry protests from local residents who accuse the municipal authorities of ignoring repeated warnings about the rising number of stray dogs. One local resident told reporters, “We begged the authorities to act, but nothing happened. Now a child has died.” Residents claimed that every street in the area has 10–15 stray dogs roaming freely, creating fear among children and elderly people.

Following the incident, residents gathered in protest, demanding that municipal officials be booked for culpable homicide due to their negligence. Police officials have said they are currently consulting legal experts to determine whether criminal negligence charges can be filed against responsible civic officers.

Meanwhile, the Jalna Municipal Council stated that 218 dogs have been sterilised so far and promised to intensify the sterilisation drive in the coming days. However, locals dismissed these assurances as “mere paperwork”, pointing out that such measures have done little to reduce dog attacks or ensure public safety.

Police confirmed that the child’s body bore multiple dog bite marks, strongly suggesting that the attack was the direct cause of death. Her remains have been sent to the government hospital for a post-mortem examination to ascertain the exact cause. Authorities added that the final confirmation will depend on the autopsy report.

The horrifying death of little Pari has left the people of Jalna in deep fear and anger. Parents have started keeping their children indoors, and residents are demanding urgent and visible action from the municipal body to control the stray dog menace before another innocent life is lost.