A body of a seven-year-old boy, mauled to death by a leopard, was recovered in the forests of Devsar in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Tuesday.
The deceased identified as Nazakat Hussain, son of Muhammad Rafiq Khan of Chowgam, Devsar was missing since March 31.
“His body was recovered from the nearby forests,” an official said.
He said it appeared that the boy was mauled to death by the leopard and later his body partly eaten by him.
“The day the boy went missing, the authorities of the Wildlife department and Police launched searches and today afternoon his body was spotted in the bushes,” an official said.
There has been a surge in the incidents of man-animal conflict this year.
On March 1, an elderly man was killed after being attacked by a leopard outside his house in Damhal Hanjipora area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district.
On March 14, two persons were injured in a leopard attack in the same area.
The duo was on their way to their home from Balnard forests.
The wild animals made their way into human habitations in a search of food following heavy snowfall this winter.