Key Points

While this revelation may bring some clarity, fear continues to grip Sendhwa village following a new wave of animal attacks on Wednesday.

Residents remain anxious about their safety despite medical confirmation that the latest incident involved a dog and not a wild animal.

Eight persons were attacked and severely bitten, four of whom were transferred to Maharaja Yashwant Rao Holkar Medical College and Hospital in Indore for further treatment.

Photographs of wounded children raise questions about whether a dog could have inflicted such severe injuries. Four new patients have arrived in Indore for treatment following an animal attack in Kermala, Varla tehsil of Barwani district.

The victims include Ritika, aged four, Kajal, also four, Rishika, seven, and Aarti, 45. Their families describe the incident as deeply unsettling, and an eerie silence now hangs over the village, even during the day.

According to relatives, the attack occurred on Wednesday, June 4, when an unidentified animal suddenly targeted the victims.

They were initially taken to Sendhwa hospital before being transferred to MY Hospital in Indore later that night for further medical care.

Dr. Jitendra Verma, deputy superintendent of MY Hospital Indore, confirmed that four new cases arrived on Wednesday, all identified as dog bites.

Three of the victims, all children, were discharged after receiving anti-rabies vaccinations and primary treatment, while one Aarti remains under observation in a stable condition.

Dr. Verma also reported that seven individuals had previously been admitted following the unknown animal attack.

Two remain under medical supervision, one succumbed to injuries during treatment, and three have already been discharged. Another patient opted for self-discharge.

He reassured that those still receiving care are stable and asymptomatic. Despite these reassurances, fear lingers among the villagers.

Dr. Ankita Singare, civil surgeon of Barwani district hospital, said that two patients from a previous attack were seen on Thursday, both stable but complaining of weakness. She confirmed that no new cases of unknown animal bites have been reported since May 5, when an unidentified animal attacked 18 people in Limbai village.

Sub-divisional magistrate, Barwani, Bhupendra Rawat emphasised that no fresh cases have emerged in Rajpur tehsil.

The recent incidents in Varla village of Sendhwa were confirmed as dog bites, yet the community remains on edge.

He reiterated that the animal responsible for the May 5 attack is dead and its body has been disposed of, expressing hope that the fear will soon subside.

- IANS