In a heart-wrenching incident, an eight-year-old girl was killed in a stray dog attack in the Seloo area of north Kashmir’s Sopore in Jammu and Kashmir.
The deceased has been identified as Aiman Adnan Sheikh, daughter of Adnan Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Seloo, Sopore.
Reports said the girl had gone to her family’s land when she was attacked by stray dogs, resulting in her death.
Police have registered an FIR and initiated further investigation into the matter.
Locals alleged that the situation has worsened due to the negligence of the Municipal Committee Sopore, claiming that stray dogs have been left unchecked in the area, creating fear among residents.
They have demanded immediate action to control the stray dog population and ensure the safety of children.
Over 2 lakh dog bite cases reported in two years
It is pertinent to mention that during the recently concluded budget session of the Legislative Assembly, the government stated that 2,06,460 dog bite cases were reported across the Union Territory during 2024 and 2025.
As per official figures, 93,765 cases were reported in 2024 and 1,12,695 cases in 2025.
Out of these, the Jammu division reported 54,863 cases in 2024 and 71,981 in 2025, while the Kashmir division recorded 38,902 cases in 2024 and 40,714 cases in 2025.
Jammu district topped the list in both years, while Srinagar recorded the highest number of dog bite cases in Kashmir, with over 35,000 cases during 2024–2025.
In the Jammu division, a total of 1,26,844 dog bite cases were recorded over the two-year period, making it the worst-affected division in the Union Territory.
District-wise data from the Jammu division shows that Jammu district reported 76,824 cases, followed by Kathua (17,129), Udhampur (8,179), Rajouri (7,140), Samba (5,332) and Doda (4,111).
Reasi reported 2,752 cases, Poonch (2,023), Ramban (1,772) and Kishtwar (1,582) cases during the same period.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir division reported a total of 79,616 dog bite cases in 2024 and 2025.
The data was compiled by the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir and other medical institutions.
Among Kashmir districts, Srinagar recorded the highest number with 35,174 cases, followed by Baramulla (12,882), Anantnag (10,818), Budgam (5,523) and Kulgam (3,925).
Kupwara reported 3,725 cases, followed by Bandipora (2,914), Pulwama (2,197), Ganderbal (1,695) and Shopian (462).
Additional data from medical colleges and SKIMS Kashmir revealed that 31,145 dog bite cases were reported over the last two years, including Srinagar (25,149), Baramulla (2,636), Kupwara (2,255), Anantnag (804) and SKIMS (301).
Officials said the UT-wide total stood at 93,765 cases in 2024 and 1,12,695 cases in 2025, taking the overall figure to 2,06,460 dog bite cases in Jammu and Kashmir over two years.
More than 1.5 lakh stray dogs in urban areas
More than 1.5 lakh stray dogs were counted in urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir in 2023, with Srinagar city alone accounting for over 60,000 dogs.
Despite multiple efforts by the government, including sterilisation and vaccination programmes, more than two lakh dog bite cases were reported in just two years, raising serious public safety concerns across the region.
These figures were disclosed during the recent budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
Quoting a canine population survey conducted in 2023, the government stated that the estimated number of stray dogs in major urban centres of the Union Territory stood at 1,52,775, with Srinagar alone accounting for 64,416 dogs.
No fresh population survey has been conducted since 2023 to determine the current number of stray dogs, which is believed to have increased significantly over the past two years.
With the rising stray dog population in urban centres, dog bite cases have also surged, despite government claims of implementing birth control programmes for these animals.
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