Man-Eater Leopard Raises Fear In Uttarakhand’s Bageshwar, Forest Department Calls In Shooters

Sighting of a leopard, which is believed to be behind several attacks on humans in a village in Bageshwar on Sunday (11 November), has forced the administration to summon shooters, Hindustan Times has reported.

As per the report, forest department officials said that a team of shooters who specialize in hunting down animals declared as man-eaters had been sent from Almora to Bageshwar.

The shooters are trying to track down the leopard, which according to the residents of Dhyangan village, had killed a seven-year old boy and also chased a 15-year-old who died due to the jump he took while in panic.

State legislator from Bageshwar, Chandan Ram Das, who visited the village, demanded the killing of the leopard.

Forest department, on Saturday (10 November), had declared the leopard as a ‘man-eater’ and ordered its killing.

On Sunday (11 November), the leopard was again sighted on a tree in the village.

Uttarakhand, since 2007, has seen at least 600 people lose their lives in attacks by wild animals with 3,100 people reportedly receiving injuries.

As per the report, 166 leopards and 16 tigers have been declared man-eaters in the past 15 years in the state.

Ramnagar MLA Diwan Singh Bisht told the paper that he had asked the district administration to increase patrolling in order to avoid such conflicts.