E-Paper
Man-eater leopard that attacked 4 people shot dead in Uttarakhand’s Almora
The leopard had killed a woman and inured three others before the forest department declared it a man-eater.
A leopard which was declared a man-eater earlier this month after it had attacked four people in Almora district of Uttarakhand, was shot dead on Tuesday night, forest officials said Wednesday.
The leopard had killed one woman and inured three others
Mahatim Yadav, divisional forest officer of Almora forest division said "A nine-year-old leopard was declared man-eater on January 1, a week after it had attacked three women in Syaldey block of the district. The leopard was shot dead by forest department appointed hunter Ramesh Chauhan in Jaurasi forest range of the division.”
The forest official said the leopard's teeth and claws were worn out signifying old age and it probably started attacking humans because they are easier to catch. The carcass has been sent for post-mortem examination.
On January 20, the leopard had killed a 50-year-woman in Barangal village of Almora district. The woman had gone missing in the day. Villagers later found her remains in the forest, 300 metres from the village.
This leopard ha previously attacked three women, including two in Almora and one in neighbouring Pauri Garhwal district. After these attacks, furious locals demanded that the leopard be shot.
The forest official said that this is the first man-eater leopard to have been killed this year.
According to forest department records, over 75 leopards were declared dangerous to human life (or declared man-eater) last year. In 2019, 55 leopards were declared dangerous to human life in the state.
