Villagers demand elimination of man eating leopard
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Oct 10
Villagers of Bhandarigaon in Gangolihat have demanded that the leopard that killed a nine-year-old boy a week ago be declared a man-eater and eliminated.
The incident occurred on October 3, when the leopard attacked and killed nine-year-old Riyanshu while he was playing in the courtyard of his house.
The villagers today marched to the office of Gangolihat Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ankit Raj and submitted their demands. They said the incident had created fear among residents, disrupting children’s education and agricultural activities.
“We have told the SDM that, since the incident, schoolchildren have been reluctant to attend school, while women are afraid to go to the fields to carry out agricultural work, which is the main source of livelihood for villagers,” said Dhan Singh Mehta, a resident of Bhandarigaon who took part in the procession.
Chanda Mehta, Range Officer of Berinag, who also holds charge of the Gangolihat range, said the Forest Department had installed four cages in and around the village to trap the leopard. Forest personnel are also patrolling the area round the clock, she added.
“We have received permission to track the leopard for one month. If we fail to capture it within this period, we will seek an extension until it is trapped and the villagers can live without fear,” Chanda Mehta said.
