Ganderbal: Wildlife authorities have launched a massive hunt in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district to ‘catch or kill’ the man-eater leopard which 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 last evening. It took her away. Later, her mutilated body was recovered from a nearby field.
Sources said that the minor girl was in the car when the leopard pounced on her and took her away.
Following the fatal attack, the authorities declared the leopard man-eater and deputed teams to ‘catch or kill’ it, an official said.
He said the wildlife authorities placed traps around Zazuna and placed sharp shooters at vulnerable spots to kill the leopard.
“Our teams are deputed in the area and at the place of occurrence. We will first try to capture the leopard. However, if all 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 were meeting local residents and asking them to take precautions. They were creating awareness among locals. He said the wildlife teams would make sure to capture or kill the wild animal at the earliest to avoid any other incident.
A wildlife official, who is part of the rescue team, said that the leopard was on the loose along with a cub, adding efforts were on to trace them.
Meanwhile, the local residents said that there was a presence of many such wild animals in the area. They said that the wildlife department was informed earlier about the presence of wild animals however it failed to take any measures.