UP: 8-year-old girl killed in leopard attack

Lakhimpur Kheri (UP), Oct 9 (PTI) An eight-year-old girl was killed by a leopard in the north Nighasan forest range of the Dudhwa buffer zone on Thursday evening, forest officials said.

The victim, identified as Preet Kaur of Rannagar village, was attacked while returning home with her aunt after visiting a doctor.

Officials said that as they were passing through a road flanked by sugarcane fields, a leopard hiding in the vegetation ambushed the girl, seizing her and dragging her into the field.

Her aunt immediately raised an alarm, shouting for help. Locals quickly rushed to the scene and managed to chase the leopard away, but the animal fled, leaving the girl dead.

Dr H Rajamohan, Field Director of Dudhwa Tiger Reserve (DTR), confirmed the death of the girl in the leopard attack in the north Nighasan range.

The officer added that monetary relief to the grieving family would be processed and awarded after the post-mortem examination.

Additionally, the forest department announced that patrolling will be intensified in the area to locate and track the leopard. PTI COR CDN MPL MPL