Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun/Pauri, 9 Jun: The menace of wild animals in Uttarakhand shows no signs of abating, with leopards, bears and tigers increasingly venturing into human habitations and claiming both livestock and human lives. In particular, the terror of leopards in the Pauri Range of the Garhwal Forest Division continues unabated. The latest incident has been reported from Dewar in Pauri Garhwal district, where a woman was killed in a leopard attack this afternoon.
The incident occurred in Badyu village under Kot Block, where a leopard attacked and killed 60-year-old Prabha Devi. According to information received, the woman had gone to nearby fields this afternoon to collect grass for her cattle when the predator, which was reportedly lying in wait, suddenly attacked her.
After killing the woman, the leopard dragged her body into the ruins of an old abandoned structure. In a gruesome development, the animal had reportedly severed the victim’s head from her torso. The leopard fled from the spot after villagers raised an alarm and gathered in large numbers.
The villagers immediately informed the Forest Department and the police administration about the incident. Teams from both departments rushed to the scene and recovered the body. However, the forest officials had to face the anger and resentment of the local residents, who expressed frustration over repeated incidents of wildlife attacks in the area. The attack has triggered panic across the region, with residents fearing further movement of the predator in nearby villages.
This is not the first instance of a wildlife attack in Pauri Garhwal district in recent weeks Two weeks ago, a leopard had become trapped inside a poultry enclosure in the area. The owner of the poultry shed claimed that the animal had killed nearly ten of his chickens before being trapped. Such incidents have heightened concerns among residents, who say that leopards and other wild animals are increasingly entering residential areas in search of food.
The growing frequency of wildlife intrusions has left villagers living in constant fear particularly in some regions including most of the Pauri Garhwal region. Residents have urged the Forest Department to take immediate and effective measures to capture the leopard and ensure the safety of people living in the affected villages. The latest fatal attack has once again raised serious questions about human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand and the effectiveness of measures being adopted to prevent such tragedies.
