TIRUVANNAMALAI: Munnur Mangalam village near Chengam in Tiruvannamalai district was gripped by panic on Wednesday after a stray dog, suspected to have rabies, attacked and bit five people, including a two-year-old girl. All the victims have been admitted to the Chengam Government Hospital and are undergoing treatment.
According to sources, M. Rakshita, a two-year-old girl, was playing outside her house when the stray dog suddenly attacked her, biting her on the right cheek and hand.
The same dog went on to attack four other residents in a short span of time. Roshini (37), a disabled woman, suffered facial injuries; Kali (55) was bitten on both legs; Sakkarai (60) sustained injuries to his legs; and Dandapani (25) was bitten on his back.
Block level health officials said the victims are being closely monitored and are receiving anti-rabies treatment. A team has been deployed in the panchayat to trace and capture the dog, which is suspected to be rabid.