Balrampur (UP), April 10 A 45-year-old man was killed in a leopard attack in a forest area adjacent to the Rehra village in Balrampur district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, officials said.
The victim, identified as Harikant Yadav, had gone to collect flowers in the nearby Sohalwa forest area in the morning when the leopard attacked him. His mutilated body was later found lying in the forest, with parts reportedly eaten by the animal, a forest department official said.
Divisional Forest Officer Gaurav Garg said a team rushed to the spot after receiving information from villagers and took the body into custody for further investigation. "Three teams have been deployed to track the leopard," he said.
District Magistrate Vipin Jain has directed officials to capture the animal and ordered the use of drone cameras to aid in the search operation. He said further measures would be taken in consultation with senior forest officers in view of recurring incidents in areas adjoining the forest.
The district administration has also instructed the forest department to intensify patrolling in sensitive areas and launch awareness campaigns to prevent wildlife attacks. Villagers have been advised not to venture into restricted forest zones, ensure proper lighting outside their homes at night and avoid leaving children unattended.
Local MLA Rakesh Yadav visited the victim's family and demanded Rs 10 lakh as compensation from the government. Alleging negligence by the forest department, he said that five people have died in leopard attacks in the Rehra area over the past four months.
He warned that the issue would be raised in the assembly if effective steps are not taken promptly to ensure the safety of residents.