Umar Raina

Ganderbal, July 12, KNT: Hours after a leopard mauled a 7-year old girl to death, Wild Life Department launched a massive search operation to capture the wild beast.

Pertinently, on Sunday late evening, a leopard took away a 7-year-old girl from an orchard when her grand-mother was accompanying her.

The incident occurred in Zazuna village of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district. Police, locals and Wild Life team had launched a search operation shortly after the incident and recovered the girl in critical condition at a place nearly one kilometer from the orchard.

The girl was taken to hospital where she succumbed to her injuries. The deceased girl was identified as Mahiya Shabir daughter of Shabir Ahmed Bhat, a resident of Zazuna village.

DFO Wildlife Warden Central, Altaf Ahmad told news agency Kashmir News Trust that a massive search operation is still underway to capture the leopard. “I also visited the spot but so for the leopard has not been sighted anywhere,” he said.

Altaf Ahmed said that before the leopard strikes again and takes away the life of any innocent person, it is very important to capture it. “We are on job and hopefully the wild beast will be captured,” he told KNT.