Three killed in leopard attack in two days within 5 km radius in Udaipur

Udaipur: A woman was killed in a leopard attack here on Friday, making it the third such death in two days within a 5 km radius here in the Gogunda police station area, officials said.

A leopard attacked Hamari Bhil (50) who was working in her field adjacent to the forest on Friday evening, they said.

Hearing her screams, people working in the nearby fields towards her with axes and sticks but by then the leopard had dragged Hamari into the forest, police said.

People saw Hamari Bhil in the bushes and with the leopard near her, they said.

According to police, this was the third person killed in a leopard attack within a radius of five kilometers in two days in Umaria village of Chhali Panchayat. All three deaths could be linked to a single leopard, officials said.

On Thursday, a leopard had attacked and killed two people: a minor girl in Undithal village whose body was found about 4 km inside dense forest, and a youth who was attacked in Bhewadiya village, three km away from Undithal village. The youth died before the villagers could reach, police said.

Agitated villagers blocked the Gogunda-Jhadol road by laying stones in protest on Friday, and demanded compensation to the victims' family.

Udaipur District Collector Arvind Kumar Poswal said that in view of the situation, two more rescue teams have been called and efforts are being made to trap the leopard by tranquillising it.

Forest Officer Ajay Chittora said that the Udaipur team is on the spot. Rescue teams have also been called from Jodhpur and nearby district Rajsamand, Chittora said.

The pattern of attacks in the area suggest that it is being carried out by a single leopard, he said.