Woman killed by leopard in Dwarikhal
Garhwal Post Bureau
Haldwani, 23 Jun: A leopard that had terrorised residents of Mora Dogda near Ranibagh by dragging a woman from her home and killing her a few days ago has finally been captured by the Forest Department. The animal was lured into a cage late last night and has since been shifted to the rescue centre in Ranibagh. Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident, a 34 year old woman was killed last evening by a leopard in Dwarikhal Block of district Pauri.
In Ranibagh, the public anger had been growing in this respect, the Forest Department team had been monitoring the area for several days, deploying traps and conducting night patrols. Their sustained efforts paid off finally when the male leopard, believed to be the same one involved in the fatal attack, was successfully caged.
Ranger Mukul Chandra Sharma confirmed that the leopard is currently under observation and undergoing a medical examination. Sharma added that only after the medical report is received will it be confirmed whether the captured leopard is the same one responsible for the attack and whether it will be officially declared a man-eater.
While the villagers have expressed relief, they have also demanded a long-term solution to prevent such incidents in future. It may be reminded here that leopard sightings and attacks have become increasingly common across several districts of Uttarakhand, including Haldwani, Nainital, and Bageshwar, raising serious concerns about human-wildlife conflict.
Meanwhile in a report coming from Pauri district this morning, a 34-year-old woman, Lata Devi, wife of Jaiveer Singh, was killed in a leopard attack in Holsi village, Jawad Gram Panchayat, located in Dwarikhal Block of Pauri Garhwal. The incident, which occurred last evening while she was grazing goats in a field near her home, has instilled fear throughout the region. Upon receiving the information, the Kanungo and Patwari of the Pokhal area have departed for the village.
Former Gram Pradhan of Jawad Gram Panchayat, Rajesh Mian, stated that a leopard, lying in wait in the bushes, suddenly attacked Lata Devi. Her family members rushed to the spot upon hearing her screams. However, by the time they arrived, Lata had succumbed to her injuries, with deep bite marks found on her neck. An atmosphere of fear now prevails in several nearby villages, including Jawad, Bistana, Kandakhal, Banali, Palla, Birmoli, Bareth, Sundal, Udyari, and Diwa.
DFO Akash Gangwar confirmed that the woman’s death was caused by a leopard attack. He stated that a team of forest personnel has been dispatched to the site, and he would visit the village to assess the situation. Forest personnel are being deployed in the area to ensure
It may be recalled that in another incident earlier this year, a leopard had even attacked forest officials during a rescue operation in Haldwani, highlighting the growing boldness of wild animals in human settlements. The state government has since increased compensation for victims of such attacks and directed the Forest Department to intensify patrolling and install more camera traps in vulnerable areas.
The Forest Department has urged residents to remain vigilant and report any further sightings immediately.
