Leopard kills girl and injures man in Nagbhid India

CHANDRAPUR: A leopard killed a minor girl and mauled a man trying to rescue her near Kunghada Chak village in Nagbhid tehsil on Friday night. Forest officials have put two cages in the area to capture the beast.

Nagbhid range forest officer KD Meshram said that at around 7.30pm deceased Pranali Saosagade (8) along with some women, had gone to nearby field to answer nature’s call. A leopard that had strayed from the jungle was lurking in bushes. It pounced on Pranali and dragged her to a discarded hut around 50 metres from the spot. The women accompanying Pranali raised an alarm and a huge mob gathered at the spot in no time.

Angry villagers tracked the leopard to the hut, where it was sitting over the kill. As they tried to scare the beast away and snatch the body, the leopard retaliated . “Among the rescuers Manik Chaudhari was attacked by the leopard. He sustained injuries on hand and waist. The leopard then fled from the spot leaving the body in the hut,” said Meshram. Injured Chaudhari was rushed to Nagpur for treatment, he added.

Meshram said that the leopard might have strayed into the village while following a prey. A team of foresters led by Meshram immediately rushed to the spot on getting the information. DCF Sanjay Thawre and ACF Dhote and Waghade too visited the scene.

The forest officials immediately installed two cages in the area, anticipating that the leopard might return to take the kill, but the beast did not come. “Two cages have been installed and we are optimistic of capturing the leopard quickly. A squad of forest department staffers has also been posted in area to keep watch and thwart the beast if it tries to enter the village,” he said.

Forest officials paid an ex-gratia amount to Pranali’s family for funeral and 2 lakh compensation would be given after formalities are completed.

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http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-10-16/nagpur/30285812_1_leopard-forest-officials-village-in-nagbhid-tehsil