21 leopard attacks in Gujarat's Dahod in a month

VADODARA: The worst nightmares of residents of villages in Dhanpur taluka of Dahod district came true with a leopard killing a seven-year-old girl in the Kantu village of the taluka on Friday night.
After a series of leopard attacks in Dhanpur taluka, the string had stopped since about two weeks.

But with the big cat still out loose villagers were not able breathe easy.
Throughout July, Dahod district had witnessed a series of attacks by leopards, most of them taking place in Dhanpur taluka. Of around 20 leopard attacks that happened in the district last month, 16 were in villages in Dhanpur. Including the incident of Friday night, three children have been killed in these many attacks.
Forest department officials as well as residents of the area were on their toes from July 4 till the end of July.
The attacks took place in the Amlimenpur, Ulkadar, Paav, Khajuri, Amlimenpur, Kantu and Jhabu villages of Dhanpur taluka.
The attacks in the first half of July, in particular, were ferocious. In the same village or nearby villages, the leopard had attacked two or even more persons till July 12.
The department breathed a sigh of relief on July 15 when a leopard was rescued in Paav village. The description of the leopard and the fact that it was old made it evident that it was the one attacking villagers.
“At an age when leopards find it difficult to hunt, they can attack humans,” said deputy conservator of forests, RM Parmar.
But the relief proved short-lived as attacks resumed in the same area from July 15 itself.
Leopard attacks were reported from the Amlimenpur, Kantu and Jhabu villages on July 15, 16 and 17. This confirmed that another leopard was lurking in these areas. This was confirmed by the forest officials. Later, an attack took place in the Khajuri village in the same area on July 26 and then in Kantu on Friday night.
“The attacks later were not very ferocious. It seems that the leopard was looking too prey on some domesticated animal. Those who were attacked were either sleeping in the same enclosure as the domesticated animals or near them,” said Parmar. Even on Friday night, the girl Dholki Bhuriya died when the leopard attacked her when she came out of her house to wash hands after dinner.