Udaipur Leopard Attacks: Shoot-At-Sight Order Issued After Man-Eater Kills 8 In Rajasthan

A man-eating leopard has killed eight people in Udaipur, Rajasthan, within 12 days. The forest department has issued a "shoot on sight" order and the Army has been called in to neutralize the threat.

Leopard Attacks in Udaipur: While leopards A leopard in a hilly forest area of Udaipur, Rajasthan, has instilled terror in the hearts of the residents of Gogunda and Badgaon sub-divisions. The leopard has reportedly turned into a man-eater and has claimed eight lives, including those of children, so far in Udaipur in just 12 days.

The forest department has caught four leopards so far, but the man-eater has managed to outsmart the forest department officials. Fear of the leopard has forced the locals to undertake patrols at night. Armed with sticks and sharp weapons, the people who live by the forests are marching down the streets every night. Another group from the village is searching the jungles by beating drums.

'Shoot Leopard On Sight'

Despite the forest department's efforts, the leopard has managed to elude capture. Among the leopard's victims were two girls aged 16 and 5. On September 30, the leopard killed a priest in Rathaudon Ka Guda village in the Badgaon police station area. A 65-year-old woman was also mauled to death by the big cat. On October 1, the leopard killed a woman working outside her house in Kelvon Ka Kheda village of Gogunda

Following these attacks, orders to shoot the leopard on sight were issued by Pawan Kumar Upadhyay, Principal Chief Conservator of the Rajasthan Wildlife Division, on Tuesday.

The Army has now been entrusted with capturing or neutralising the man-eater. A sharpshooter has been called from Hyderabad to deal with the leopard in Udaipur's Gogunda. Twelve other shooters from Rajasthan are already stationed along the forest borders.

The DFO appealed to the villagers for cooperation, saying that they should stay at home until the search operation is completed. "Do not go out alone. Children and women should go out only in groups," he said.

More than 90 personnel in 10 teams are now engaged in the operation to search for the leopard. These include forest department employees, police, army personnel, and locals. While the police, forest, and Army personnel are deployed with weapons, the locals are assisting them in the search with sticks, nets, and other drums.

(With inputs from Chetan Kumar, ABP News.)