Four girls showed courage to repulse attack by leopard
Four girls showed courage to repulse attack by leopard
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Dec 19
Four students of Government Inter College (GIC), Kimtoli in Barakot sub-division of Champawat district of Kumoan, escaped an attack by a leopard, while on their way to their college. The students showed courage and confronted the attacking leopard with stones and sticks. The entire state of Uttarakhand particularly the hilly districts are in a grip of scare of attacking wild leopards and bears.
“While, the leopard jumped on a student of the group going to the college, near Nakot village on Thursday, the brave girls namely Rekha, Karishma and Reshma started shouting loudly for help and started throwing stones on the leopard. Scared by the shouting and stones, the leopard resisted for some time but finally fled to forest saving the lives of students,” said Bhupendra Singh Dev, a staffer of GIC, Kamtoli.
“We want full security of our wards and if that will not be possible, we will have to stop sending them to schools and colleges, as the way crosses through dense forest,” said Harish Singh, a guardian of a student of Kimtoli village
“When the leopard suddenly attacked on one of our companion, we started shouting for help by started throwing stones on the animal. Finding stiff resistance, the animal fled towards forest after some time,” recalled Reshma, a student of 9th class, accompanying the group.
“All the four students, reached the school running scared and gasping for breath and informed the school authorities who in turn contacted forest department officials, ” said Bhupendra Singh.
Rajesh Joshi, Range Officer of Barakot range of forest in Champawat division, said that after the incident, the department has issued some precautions, to be taken seriously by the students and common villagers, while going outside their homes.
“We have advised the guardians to send their wards to school in groups and with some elderly person and keeping talking, if possible loudly, to keep the leopards away,” said Rajesh Joshi, the Range officer.
