The Kashmir Pulse

SRINAGAR — A Wildlife official was injured after being attacked by a bear in Parigam area of southern Kashmir's Kulgam district on Sunday.

An official quoted by the local news agency Kashmir Scroll said that a Wildlife official namely Bashir Ahmad Bhat, son of Ghulam Ahmad Bhat and a resident of Devsar area, was attacked by a bear in Parigam area.

He said that Bhat received injuries and was shifted to a local hospital in injured condition.

GANDERBAL — A leopard attack left five people injured, including two women and three Wildlife Department officials, on Wednesday in central Kashmir's Ganderbal district.

An official said that the incident occurred during a search operation initiated after locals spotted the leopard in the area.

Fortunately, the authorities managed to capture the leopard alive after a strenuous effort, the official said, adding that the injured have been transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.

BUDGAM — Following another fatal attack on a child in Khansahib area of central Kashmir's Budgam district, the Wildlife Department issued shoot-at-sight orders on Friday to eliminate the "man-eater" leopard.

The Khansahib area has been gripped with fear and anguish after a series of leopard attacks claimed the lives of two minor girls and left a minor boy injured within a span of 17 days.

Toiba Mushtaq, 7, daughter of Mushtaq Ahmad, was taken from the lawns of her home during the evening hours, and her body was later found in nearby bushes. Notably, a 9-year-old girl was fatally attacked, while a minor boy sustained injuries in a separate incident involving a leopard in the neighbouring village of Samsan within the past 17 days.

The rise in human-animal conflicts has left villagers living in constant fear, who had appealed for a shoot-at-sight order from the district administration.

Altaf Hussain, Wildlife Warden (Central), informed the news agency KNO that they have issued the shoot-at-sight order for the "man-eater" leopard.

"Our priority will be tranquilising or trapping the animal, but if these measures fail, shooting will be considered. After assessing the situation, orders have been issued to hunt down the said animal following the necessary formalities," he said.

Over the past 17 days, the Jammu and Kashmir Wildlife Department has conducted extensive search operations, utilising drones in various areas where the presence of the leopard is suspected.

Officials have advised residents to stay indoors, especially during morning and evening hours, to avoid further attacks until the leopard is captured.

Stay indoors, asks Deputy Commissioner Budgam

Earlier, Deputy Commissioner Budgam Akshay Labroo asked people in the area to stay indoors, particularly in the morning and evening, and to take extra care of their children by not letting them go outside.

Speaking to media persons following his visit to Hariwani where a 7-year-old girl was mauled to death by a leopard, the DC advised people to exercise extra caution until the operation is over, especially with regard to their children, and to walk in groups to prevent any more unfortunate incidents.

"I urge people to cooperate with the police, wildlife, and revenue departments to make this operation effective. Only then will people be able to heave a sigh of relief when the leopard that has turned into a monster is swiftly apprehended," he said.

"In order for the wildlife team and police to follow up on leads, sightings can also be reported to our SDPO, SHO and police department, who are already at work," the DC said.

Earlier, speaking to the media persons, SDM Khansahib said the administration is keeping a close eye on the leopard. "Cages had already been set up in Samsan village, but unfortunately, the leopard moved and attacked another child four kilometres away in Hariwani," he said.

He said that under the Deputy Commissioner's direction, a wildlife team has been permanently deployed in the village, and community awareness campaigns have been conducted, advising residents to stay inside during the morning and evening hours and to take extra care of their children until the leopard is apprehended.

Constant fear due to horrific attacks

Describing the horrific incident, Ajaz Ahmad, a local of Hariwani, said that 7-year-old Toiba Mushtaq was taken away from the lawns of her home in the evening, despite her mother being with her when they stepped outside to use the toilet. Her body was later found in nearby bushes.

"Out of the three brothers, only one brother had a child, and she was that, but the leopard also made her its victim. The Wildlife Department hasn't succeeded in catching it, and the district administration has remained a silent spectator," he lamented. "No orders are being given by them to kill this leopard even after two killings. We are living in constant fear, and our children are not able to go out of the house, affecting their education."

Javed Ahmad, another local of Hariwani village, said the recent leopard attacks have left them trembling with fear. "We cannot even step out of our homes without worrying about the safety of our children. Yesterday, after killing a minor girl, the leopard attacked another person in the same village, but he luckily managed to escape," he said.

"This man-eating leopard attacks by entering the yards of houses, and fearing that, a person cannot even step outside the houses. The Wildlife Department has very few staff, due to which they are not able to catch the leopard," he added.

BUDGAM — An 8-year-old boy was injured by a fierce leopard on the loose which the Wildlife Department officials are managing to capture alive in an area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district.

Reports reaching the Srinagar-based news agency KDC said that a fierce leopard on the loose on Monday evening attacked a minor boy identified as Saqib Javid, a resident of Samsun locality in Khansahib area of Budgam district.

After the incident, the minor boy was immediately shifted to District Hospital Budgam, where his condition is stated to be stable.

An official said that efforts are underway to ensure the well-being of residents while also addressing the broader issue of wildlife conservation and habitat management in Budgam and surrounding regions.

Pertinently, a nine-year-old girl was mauled to death by this leopard in this area last Monday.

BARAMULLA — After giving sleepless nights to locals and keeping wildlife teams on their toes for more than a fortnight, the “man-eater” leopard was on Sunday “hunted down” in Uri area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

The wildlife team and police eliminated the man-eater wildlife beast after it attacked a woman namely Dilshada Begum (30) wife of Farid Ahmad of Latchipora. While the woman was removed to GMC Baramulla for medical treatment, teams of wildlife and police, camping in the area from last more than a week, achieved success in eliminating the beast.

Officials of the Wildlife department told the news agency GNS that the movement pattern of the beast was highly dynamic and had been closely watched.

The officials said that after the killing of two minors, several teams were deputed to several spots in Uri and launched search operations to locate the animal. The animal had killed at least two minors before the officials ordered the “hunting down” of the leopard.

On September 16 at 7:00 PM, a girl child namely Munzia Beigh daughter of Imran of Jabadar Lachipora Boniyar (Uri) was lifted and killed by a leopard. Her body was recovered from a nearby forest area late in the night on the same day.

Subsequently on September 22, at about 7:30 PM, another child namely Ali Hussain son of Abbas Hussain of Dani Cholan Boniyar (Uri) was lifted and killed by the leopard and subsequently, his body was retrieved after several hours of search from the forest area.

BARAMULLA — "Children and elderly are scared here for the past several days. Man-eating animals have created chaos here," says Mohammad Hussain, an elderly local of Dhanisyedan village of Uri, where a minor girl was taken away by a leopard, last evening the body of whom was later found in a nearby orchard.

He said that nobody dares to venture out during day, let alone evening hours.

Muhammad Afzal, another local said that the area has been badly affected over the past few months because the man-eating animal has not been caught yet and it continues to be a big threat,” he said. "We don't even let our young children go to school because of fear.”

A group of locals from Uri told news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) that "We are restless and indecisive. The administration has failed to address the issue.”

Ishfaq Ahmad, another local said that they can't bear that the lives of these little children are lost. He said the administration should further increase its operations to kill or to tranquilise the animal.

"Only a mother can tell the value of her children. How painful losing a child to an animal is, only a mother can narrate," Taja Begum, another woman said.

On September 16, a minor was taken away by leopard outside her home in Gawashar village of Uri following which her body was found. Late yesterday evening, another minor boy was taken away by the same animal and the body of this child was later also found by the locals. In the month of June this year, the animal similarly made three small children its prey here.

"We’ve urged people not to go out to the fields alone but do so only in groups. While we are trying all possible ways to trap or kill the animal, we need the co-operation of the common people for them to stay safe,” an official said. He said that their operations along with the teams of protection department, police and sharp shooters continue to find or kill this man-eating animal.

However, our hard work is not paying off yet. "It is also possible that the animal might have shifted to other place in view of the disturbance in the area," he added. In an advisory, the wildlife protection department said that children and woman are more vulnerable to leopard and bear attacks, which can be contained if they move in groups or children are accompanied by an elderly person and always move on regular forest paths and avoid short cuts.

“Avoid going to forests for collection of wood etc. in early morning or evening hours, which is the peak activity time for Leopards. Do not chase or try to go near to a wild animal if sighted from a distance in the forest areas,” the official said.

HANDWARA — A four-year-old boy was killed in a leopard attack at Monabal Haril area of Langate in north Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said on Sunday evening.

Officials, as per news agency KNO, said that a minor boy was playing outside his home when a man-eater wild animal attacked him and left him critically injured.

They said that the injured was taken to a nearby hospital where the doctors declared him dead. "After medico-legal formalities, the body was handed over to his legal heirs for last rites," they said.

The officials identified the minor boy as Saqib-Din-Badana son of Baya Din Badana of Londa-Lohikot village of Monabal in Langate.