On 1st August, an 11-year-old student from Lathira Mafi village in Amroha’s Hasanpur in Uttar Pradesh, died of rabies after being bitten by a stray dog two months ago. The boy has been identified as Balakaran. He was attacked by a roaming dog while eating at home. His family took him to the Hasanpur community health centre, where he received just one anti-rabies vaccine dose. His family mistook him to be cured and never returned for the remaining doses.
On 29th July, around two months after the dog attack, Balakaran began showing classic rabies symptoms, including hydrophobia. He was rushed to the local hospital, where doctors referred him to a higher centre. He was taken to Meerut and then to Delhi. However, it was too late, as rabies is 100% fatal once symptoms start to appear. With no hope left, the family brought him back, where he died on Friday morning as they prepared to take him to Moradabad.
Balakaran was among the 12 victims who died due to stray dog attacks in recent years.
