New Delhi: A leopard snatched away eight-year-old Tanya from her family while they were working in the fields in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor. Tanya had accompanied her parents to help harvest paddy and she walking along the boundary of the field with them. In a sudden attack, the leopard came out from a nearby area, seized Tanya by the neck and fled with her.
The family quickly chased the leopard and shouted for help. They spotted it resting in a nearby sugarcane field, still holding Tanya. In a desperate effort, the family broke sugarcane stalks to distract the leopard, which allowed them to chase it away and rush Tanya to the Community Health Center (CHC). However, despite their efforts, the doctor pronounced her dead upon arrival.
Family reeling from tragedy
Tanya’s death has sent shockwaves through her family and the local community. A Class 3 student at the village council school, her loss has sparked outrage among her relatives. This incident marks the 26th fatality due to leopard attacks in the region over the past 21 months, with seven deaths reported this year alone. Although a cage had been set up in the fields to capture the leopard, it has yet to be successful. Local MLA Om Kumar visited the CHC to offer condolences to the grieving family.
Leopard-related deaths this year
This year has seen several tragic deaths due to leopard attacks have taken place. On January 20, Chandraprakash Singh was killed in Jalalpur Hasna village. Later, on July 13, Divyanshi lost her life in Mandori village, followed by Saloni, who was fatally attacked in Pilaana village on July 22. The violence continued as Santosh Devi was killed in Pilaana village on August 17, and Piyush Kumar met the same fate in Jalalpur Bhud village on August 23. Additionally, another victim was reported in Bagdpur village on August 29. These incidents underscore the ongoing threat posed by leopards in the region.
