Leopard kills minor girl in Nainital

IN THE FIRST WEEK OF NOVEMBER LAST YEAR, A 21YEAR-OLD WOMAN WAS KILLED IN A LEOPARD ATTACK IN CHAMPAWAT DISTRICT

HALDWANI: A five-year-old girl was killed by a leopard in Nainital district on Tuesday evening, forest officials said.

Bhupal Singh Mehta, range officer of Manora forest range under Nainital forest division, said the incident occurred at Chopra Dhyangan village in Jeolikote area when the girl was playing in the courtyard of her house.

“The five-year-old girl was playing with her brother in the courtyard of her house on Monday evening. A leopard suddenly sneaked into the place and pounced on her, dragging her towards the forests area,” Mehta said.

He said as the girl’s eightyear-old elder brother started weeping, his father Mohan Singh Jeena came out from his room and saw the leopard running towards the forest area, dragging the girl along.

“The girl’s body was found nearly 50 metres away from the house,” he added.

Mehta said they are planning to set up cages at Chopra village and install camera traps near the place where the incident took place.

“A seven-member patrolling team has also been sent to the spot” Mehta said.

He said the victim’s family will be provided compensation of ₹4 lakh as ex-gratia payment from the state forest department

The state has reported many leopard attacks in the last one year or so. In June a leopard killed 38-year-old man in Bhansoda village of Pauri district. In March, a leopard killed a 60-year-old in Pithoragarh district. In February, a 46-year-old woman was mauled to death by a leopard in Kapri village in Pithoragarh district. A 45-yearold woman was killed by a tiger on February 11 in Ramnagar of Nainital. A 60-year-old woman was mauled to death by a leopard in Khatima of US Nagar on February 6. On January 20, a 50-year-woman was killed by a leopard in Almora district. On December 1, a 65-year-old man was killed by a leopard in Chamoli district.

In the first week of November last year, a 21-year-old woman was killed in a leopard attack in Champawat district.