LUCKNOW, May 25 -- A five-year-old girl, Ballu, was critically injured on Sunday afternoon after being viciously mauled by two stray dogs in Chinhat's Govind Vihar locality. The attack stopped when the desperate, frantic cries of her visually impaired mother, Pooja, alerted nearby residents who intervened and chased the animals away.

The attack occurred when Ballu stepped out to buy a packet of chips from a nearby shop. She was suddenly ambushed by the dogs and immediately pinned to the ground, screaming as the animals bit her repeatedly. Unable to see what was happening, Pooja who was inside the house ran towards the sound, frantically shouting for neighbours to intervene.

Local resident Patte Lal said the mother's screams drew people ...