Ganderbal , July 12: Wildlife authorities have launched a massive hunt in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district to catch or kill the leopard which has been declared a “man-eater” after it mauled a three-year old girl to death on Sunday.
A Wildlife official told Greater Kashmir that the leopard attacked the 3 year-old girl identified as Mahiya Shabir, daughter of Shabir Ahmad Bhat near Zazuna fruit mandi here on Sunday evening and taken her away.
Her mutilated body was later recovered from a nearby field.
Following the fatal attack, authorities have declared the leopard man-eater and deputed teams to catch or kill it, an official said.
He said the Wildlife authorities have placed traps around Zazuna and placed sharp shooters at vulnerable spots to kill the leopard.
“Our teams are deputed in the area and the spot of incident. We will first try to capture the leopard and if all other means including tranquilization fail, the wild animal will be killed as a last resort,” Regional Wildlife Warden Kashmir, Rashid Naqash told Greater Kashmir.
Naqash said that the wildlife personnel are meeting local residents and asking them to take precautions and providing awareness.
He said the Wildlife teams will make sure the wild animal is captured or killed to avoid any further incident.
A wildlife official who is part of the team said that the leopard is on the loose along with a cub adding efforts are on to trace them.