Dehradun: A 42-year-old woman sustained injuries after a leopard attacked her while she was returning home with milk from a neighbor's house in Oni village, Pauri Garhwal district, on Sunday evening. Local health officials reported that Vinita Devi suffered wounds to her neck and face. She was taken to Srinagar Base Hospital, where doctors stated her condition was stable on Monday.
Villagers Protest Rising Leopard Attacks
The incident sparked a protest by residents of Oni and surrounding areas, who voiced concerns over the increasing number of big cat attacks in the region. They demanded that the leopard involved be declared a maneater and removed from the vicinity. Protesters highlighted a recent fatal attack in nearby Kamand village, where a 62-year-old man was killed by a leopard on May 15. Dinesh Rawat, a resident of Oni village, stated, “The feline continues to attack villagers and their livestock. It should be declared a maneater and eliminated.”
Forest Department Response
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Mahatim Yadav, who was patrolling the area, assured villagers that surveillance and response measures were already in place. He explained, “The affected area falls within close proximity to the earlier attack site in Kamand, so the existing operational permissions remain applicable, and no fresh authorization is required. Our field teams are monitoring leopard movement through camera traps, pugmark tracking, and quick response units.”
Rising Human-Wildlife Conflict
The Pauri forest division has recorded two fatalities and one injury linked to leopard encounters in the past month alone. Over the last three months, the forest department has rescued three leopards. The situation underscores the growing human-wildlife conflict in the region, necessitating enhanced mitigation strategies.
