Leopard, tiger attacks in two villages of UP's Bahraich district within 24 hours; five injured

Bahraich (UP), Dec 25 (PTI) Two men were injured after a leopard attacked them on Thursday in a village of the Bahraich district, a forest official said.

The incident took place barely 24 hours after a tiger attack near the Rupaideha border area in the district left three people, including a 10-year-old girl, injured.

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ram Singh Yadav told PTI that a leopard was sighted in the Chanaini village under the Nawabganj area, close to the India-Nepal border.

Villagers Nagesh Kashyap (30) and Dheeraj Yadav (50) were trying to flee after spotting the leopard when it attacked them.

Both were admitted to the district hospital, where doctors said their condition was out of danger, the DFO said.

On Wednesday morning, a tiger attacked residents of the Pachpakri village under the Rupaideha Forest Range, also near the Nepal border, injuring three people, including a 10-year-old girl.

A 60-year-old man was among the injured, and he was referred to Lucknow in a serious condition.

According to the DFO, Sanjana (10) was headed to the fields with her cousin when a tiger emerged from the forest and attacked her. Hearing the girls' screams, villagers rushed to the spot, shouting and carrying sticks, following which the tiger fled.

Villagers said that Radhemohan (60) and Ankit Verma (20), who reached the area after hearing about the attack, were also attacked by the tiger on the way.

All the injured were admitted to the district hospital, Yadav said.

The DFO said that teams of the forest department, police and the Sashastra Seema Bal are carrying out combing operations at both sites to trace the wild animals and prevent further attacks.

He added that villagers, especially children, have been advised to remain indoors, avoid gathering in crowds and take special precautions.

Drones, CCTV cameras and pugmark-tracking are being used to locate the animals and drive them back into the forest, according to the officer.

Yadav also cautioned villagers against approaching wild animals to take photographs, saying such actions often provoke attacks.

He urged people to inform the forest department immediately instead of trying to corner or harm the animals themselves. PTI COR ABN PRK PRK