Nuapada: In a horrific incident, a four-year-old boy was mauled to death by a leopard while he was asleep outside his house along with his parents Friday night.
The incident was reported from Haladi village, 7km away from Sadar police station in this district. The deceased was identified as Chhaganlal Pandey, son of Hiralal Pandey and Keketi Pandey.
Forest officials along with the local police reached the spot and launched a probe into the incident. The minor’s severed head was recovered and sent for post-mortem while the carnivore had fed on his other body parts, it was learnt.
The boy’s clothes, hair, a black thread and a nail of the leopard were recovered from the spot. The incident spread panic among the locals while the police registered a case and launched a probe. According to sources, Haladi is located near a reserve forest. Due to excess heat and humid condition at night, Hiralal along with his wife and children decided to sleep on the verandah of their house.
The leopard strayed into the village and took away the minor from the verandah while other family members were asleep. Later, Hiralal woke up to find his son missing and raised an alarm. Neighbours joined the family and scoured the area. Meanwhile, they spotted bloodstains on the outskirts of the village that led them to the spot where the severed head of the boy was found on a rock. The leopard had fed on the boy’s torso. The animal was nowhere to be seen in the forest.
IIC Satyaranjan Pradhan, deputy forest ranger Debadat Sutar, sub-inspector Purna Chandra Pradhan and forester Tikchan Jotish reached the spot and launched an inquiry. Former MLA Rajendra Dholkia and Zilla Parishad member Munna Jagat also visited the village and gave a compensation of Rs 10,000 to the bereaved family from the District Red Cross Fund.
A compensation of Rs 3 lakh will be provided to the family, Sutar said. Hundreds of people of nearby villages thronged the village after the news spread in the area. According to locals, leopards and bears often stray into the village as it is located at the foothills. A village watchman also said that he had spotted a den of a leopard. A leopard had attacked five persons earlier.
Meanwhile, forest officials have asked the locals to remain indoors after sunset. Locals demanded construction of a boundary wall around the village. PNN
