A dog attacked an 11-year-old boy walking to school on the afternoon of January 17 in Yangiyul, Tashkent province. He was seriously injured, suffering lacerations to his face, head, legs, and arms.

The attack occurred on the bank of a river that adults and children cross on a narrow bridge. The banks are strewn with trash, where, according to residents, dogs often dig for food. However, the dog may have had an owner, as is currently being investigated. A dog trap has been launched in the neighborhood, seizing both stray and domestic dogs.

The boy's father, Obidjon Turakeldiev, told Zo'r TV's "Bu Kun" program that the dog bit his son on the leg and dragged him, then bit his arm, head, and nose. A neighbor saw the bloodied boy and took him home.

The boy was admitted to a local hospital in serious condition. The head of the hospital, Jahongir Asatullaev, reported that he had open wounds on his nose, ear, and head. He was immediately operated on and placed in intensive care.

Bakhtiyor Davidov, a surgeon, told Renessans TV's "Ovoza" program that the boy's condition was stable after the surgery. He is receiving psychological support. He is expected to undergo plastic surgery in Tashkent later.

Mamurjon Norboyev, deputy mayor of Yangiyul, told Bu Kun that a group including police officers, the veterinary department workers were formed that same day to begin capturing stray dogs in the neighborhood. They also collected pet dogs for inspection and to determine the specific dog that attacked.

He reported that residents had previously contacted the mayor's office regarding stray dogs.

According to Mamurzhon Norboev, captured dogs are kept at the public works department, as there are no other places to keep dogs. He said this was a problem in other districts and cities as well.

Footage from all the news reports shows children walking home past a pile of garbage on the riverbank. It was cleared after the incident. The garbage can be seen scattered for hundreds of meters on both sides of the river. One does not see this kind of footages on state TV channels, as this can be considered as diminishing the image of the country.

A local resident told the program Bu Kun that dogs had been roaming here for a long time, and people don't like it; children are afraid to walk alone, especially at night. He expressed hope that the problem will be partially resolved with the removal of the dump.

Another resident also cited illegal dumps as the reason for the dogs' gathering.

"Residents themselves throw garbage, which attracts cats and dogs," said Andrey Kagay. The garbage is being cleared, but it keeps appearing, he noted.

A neighbourhood representative told the program "Zamon" that a new bridge is expected to be built here this year.