New Delhi: A leopard is wreaking havoc in the forests of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh, causing widespread panic. Four people have lost their lives due to leopard attacks in the Thakurdwara area of Moradabad. On Friday night, a farmer fell victim to a leopard; the animal snatched him from his home, and his body was later found in a sugarcane field. The body was found drenched in blood. This incident occurred in Baliya village, Thakurdwara, where two women had previously died in leopard attacks.
The latest incident has spread terror among the residents. Reports indicate that the situation escalated after the leopard dragged away a 40-year-old man who was sleeping in a house on the village outskirts. Teams from the local police and the Forest Department have arrived in Baliya village, and the victim’s family is inconsolable.
Leopard Claims Four Lives in Thakurdwara
Saturday morning brought grief to Baliya village, where the body of Jagraj Singh was discovered in a field. Villagers reported that the body had been severely mauled by the leopard. This marks the third death caused by a leopard attack in Baliya village. A total of four people three women and one man have lost their lives to leopard attacks in the Thakurdwara tehsil region so far.
An atmosphere of fear prevails throughout the village following this tragic incident; residents are afraid to even step out of their homes due to the threat posed by the leopard. There is immense anger among the villagers towards the Forest Department for its failure to capture the animal.
Villagers noted that the Amangarh and Kalagarh forests, as well as the Ramganga river area, are nearby. It is suspected that wild animals emerge from the forests and riverbanks to hide in the dense sugarcane fields of the Khadar region.
Suspected Presence of 40 Leopards in Thakurdwara
The terror caused by leopards continues across approximately 36 to 40 villages in the Thakurdwara tehsil region. An atmosphere of panic prevails among residents of several villages, including Baliya, Pipli, Malakpur, Shyamli, Lalapur, and Peepalsana. While the Forest Department has already captured approximately 9 to 10 leopards, reports of leopard attacks continue to emerge.
Leopard Menace Continues
The District Forest Department team states that, given the highly sensitive nature of the Bahapur-Baliya area, surveillance and rescue operations have been intensified. Continuous monitoring is being conducted using advanced thermal drones. Additional active traps are being set up in inhabited areas and along the paths frequented by the leopards. A specialised rescue team and tranquilliser experts have also been deployed to the region.
Forest Range Officer Rijul Kansal stated that the Forest Department is actively engaged in locating and capturing the leopard. Its movements are being monitored with the help of drones, trap cameras, and cages.
