Residents of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh have been living in fear after a leopard reportedly attacked a man and injured two others in the last few weeks. The leopard was spotted in a village near the district’s Nagina town on April 20, and since then the scared villagers are not allowing their children to go outside even during the day.
On April 25, the leopard attacked a 55-year-old man, Sanjay Singh, who was harvesting wheat in a field. On April 26, the wild animal reportedly attacked two women in the same vicinity. The Wildlife Department and local administration officials are actively searching for the leopard in order to capture or tranquilize it.
Officials are also raising awareness among the villagers on methods to protect themselves from wild animal attacks. Bijnor District Magistrate Pranjal Yadav said that several teams have been formed and all necessary precautions are being taken to strive to ensure the safety of the villagers. The teams have been given night vision binoculars and other necessary equipment for tracking the leopard.
Yadav has also issued a written order to the villagers, asking them to remain indoor after sunset, as the attacks have been taking place mostly in evenings and nights. He also asked villagers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movements of the animal to the Forest Department.