Leopard declared man-eater, orders given to kill

BUDGAM: The body of the 4-year-old girl, who was carried away by a leopard from near her home in Housing Colony Ompora in Budgam district on Thursday evening, was recovered from a nearby nursery of the social forestry department on Friday morning.
Her family said that she was playing in the lawn of their home along with grandfather and brother when the leopard attacked and carried her away.
The deceased girl was identified as Adda Mir, daughter of Yasir Mir, resident of Housing Colony Ompora.
“I was shaken when I heard a cry. Her brother told me, Adda is crying. I immediately went out to see her. I couldn’t find her. I felt she had been taken away by the leopard. We had raised the alarm many times about wild animals. If the wildlife officials had taken some measures, this tragedy would not have struck us,” said the girl’s grandfather at her funeral. “She was our queen,” he said.
Bashir Ahmad, wildlife officer in Chadoora, told Kashmir Reader that a wildlife department team along with Budgam police, SDRF team, district administration Budgam, forest protection force, and forest department team started searches on Thursday evening to rescue the girl.
“The search operation was started immediately after the girl went missing and the searches continued from Thursday evening to Friday morning. Her body was recovered at about 9:30 am in the nursery of the social forestry department between the Housing Colony Ompora and Khanapora area,” Ahmad said.
He said that there were scratches on one side of the girl’s face and also on her arm. The leopard had fled the spot where her body was recovered from, Ahmad said.
SHO of Police Station Budgam told Kashmir Reader that the body of the child had been handed over to her parents.
The Deputy Commissioner Budgam on Friday held a meeting with the Senior Superintendent of Police Budgam, Divisional Forest Officer Budgam, and Wildlife Warden Budgam. It was decided in the meeting that the Wildlife Warden will deploy staff well equipped with machinery for the elimination of the leopard, which has turned man-eater, after obtaining sanction from the competent authority.
Also, wildlife staff will be deputed in the periphery of the Ompora Forests for patrolling and awareness among the general public regarding the roaming of the leopard in the area. She will take immediate steps for capturing of the roaming animal in the forests.
It was decided that the Wildlife Warden will immediately prepare a compensation case for the killed girl and get it sanctioned from the competent authority within 3 days so that necessary compensation is paid to the family of the deceased.
In the meeting it was also decided that the Divisional Forest Officer will immediately take steps for erection and strengthening of existing chain-link fencing at Ompora Forests and will also submit DPR to higher authorities for sanction of funds. He will also process the proposal and case for sanction of thinning of the forest immediately.

ARIF RASHID