Bahraich (UP), April 11 A woman and a boy were injured in two separate incidents of leopard attacks within the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary area in the Bahraich district, officials said on Saturday.
According to an official, a total of five incidents involving injuries to civilians caused by leopard attacks have been reported within the sanctuary over the past week.
In one incident, Shanti Devi, 40, a resident of Semri Ghatahi village, was attacked by a leopard on Friday while she was gathering firewood. The big cat mauled her arm, which was later discovered to be severed, at a nearby location, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Apurv Dixit said.
She was rescued by a Forest Department team conducting a plantation drive nearby, who chased away the leopard with a tractor, and rushed her to a nearby Community Health Centre, where she was referred to the Bahraich District Hospital, he said.
The woman has been provided with immediate financial assistance of Rs 5,000. A compensation of Rs 1 lakh is granted to those sustaining serious injuries, which will also be disbursed shortly, he added.
In another incident that occurred in Majhanv village on Friday, Lalu, 15, was attacked by a leopard while harvesting wheat. Labourers working in adjacent fields raised an alarm and shouted, driving the leopard away, the DFO said.
The boy sustained minor injuries to his hands and neck. After receiving initial treatment at the Community Health Centre, he has been referred to the district hospital, he said.