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Leopard kills boy in Bijnor, 16th killing in 9 months
Angry people came out on the streets in protest, demanding security from the frequent attacks of leopards.
A 10-year-old boy, Naitik, was attacked and killed by a leopard in Shahpur Jamal village, in district Bijnor, on Thursday.
This was the 16th human killing in the district in the past nine months in a leopard attack, and angry people came out on the streets in protest, demanding security from the frequent attacks of leopards.
On Thursday evening, the Naitik was returning home after buying groceries from a nearby shop.” He was passing through a path between sugarcane fields when the leopard hiding inside attacked and killed him,” said a forest official.
Villagers rushed towards the spot after hearing the boy’s screams but could not save him.
His death led to a hue and cry among villagers who tried to jam the road with the boy’s body. They were persuaded by the police and forest officials and the body was sent for a post-mortem examination.
A veterinary doctor was also included in the panel of doctors for the post-mortem examination on the request of the forest department. The boy’s spinal cord was found broken at two points and claw wounds were found on his neck.
Sub divisional officer of the forest department, Gyan Singh, said that teams have been activated in the area to monitor the movement of the animal and a cage has been placed near the spot of incident to trap the animal.
He said that three animals were trapped from the area in the past few months and the trapped animals were sent to Lucknow zoo and other places.
He said that an advisory has been issued to villages not to send children outside alone in the area close to the jungle of Amangarh Tiger Reserve. Villagers have been asked to move in groups, carry torches and wooden staffs along with them and avoid going alone to collect fodder.
“The incidence of attacks could be reduced if people follow the advisory issued to them,” said Singh and claimed that the forest department was doing its best to reduce such incidents.
He claimed that more than 40 animals have been rescued in the district in the past few months which is a record and every possible effort is being made to resolve the issue. He admitted that an estimated population of over 400 leopards reside in the district and a majority of them have made sugarcane fields their hideout where they are breeding and kept staying.
