PNS | NEW TEHRI
A man-eating leopard that had terrorised locals for months was shot dead by a special team of the Forest department late Tuesday near Bhilangana Range’s Bhaun village in the Tehri Forest Division.
The incident occurred around 10 PM on Tuesday that has brought relief to the Forest department and local residents. The officials said that the female leopard had claimed the lives of three children, attacking them in separate incidents in Bhaun village on July 23, Purwal village on September 29 and Kot-Mahar village on October 19. These tragic events had left the entire area gripped with fear. In response to the escalating threat, the department deployed four special teams to track and eliminate the predator.
The district forest officer (DFO) Puneet Tomar and ranger Ashish Nautiyal confirmed the operation’s success and informed that the leopard had been captured on trap cameras and CCTV footage before being neutralised. Despite the leopard’s elimination, officials have urged villagers to remain cautious and follow safety guidelines to avoid any future wildlife encounters.
