Siddharth Nagar (Uttar Pradesh), Feb 9 : A 10-year-old girl was mauled to death by a pack of seven stray dogs in Bargadwa village in Uttar Pradesh's Siddharth Nagar district, the police said.

The minor was critically injured and succumbed on way to a community health centre, the police added.

The minor identified as Tarannum, daughter of one Abid Ali and a Class 4 student, along with other children was grazing goats when the stray dogs attacked her. She received over two dozen severe injuries all over her body, including her head.

Village head Vyas Pandey said that the other children accompanying her managed to escape and raised an alarm, following which villagers reached the spot and rescued Tarannum.

Circle Officer (CO) of Itwa, Jairam, confirmed the incident and said that police officials reached the village and contacted the girl's father to register a case but her parents refused to file a report.

Earlier on Sunday, stray dogs chased additional sessions judge Jaiprakash in Gorakhpur at the judge's compound when he was out for a morning walk. He received minor injuries in the attack.

Taking note of the incident, Municipal Commissioner Gaurav Singh Sogarwal activated a dog-catching squad.

However, Corporator Zia-ul-Islam said no dogs have yet been caught despite the announcement.

He added that due to the fear of stray dogs, even elderly people avoid morning walks and do not come on the streets alone.

Meanwhile, the Assistant Municipal Commissioner of Gorakhpur, Mani Bhushan Tiwari, said that the corporations have pressed a dog-catching squad in the areas from where complaints have come and 12 dozen dogs were caught, sterilised and later released in other localities.

The Gorakhpur Municipal Corporation has initiated establishing a centre for birth control of dogs through sterilisation. In light of apex court guidelines, the corporation is taking essential action to avoid animal cruelty.

Rajesh Srivastav of District Hospital Gorakhpur confirmed that every day six dog bite victims come for treatment.

/IANS