Leopard makes off with two-yr-old in Palghar
A two-and-a-half girl was reportedly taken by a leopard while she was playing with her cousin in a village in Wada taluka, in Palghar on Wednesday morning. While the girl is missing, locals spotted some blood stains in the nearby bushes. Sonali Bhoir and her cousin Avinash Mukhne, 8, were playing in near the Mandagani mountain, a densely forested area.
Their grandfather was alerted when Avinash screamed for help. He later told that a leopard caught hold of Sonali’s arm and dragged her into the bushes. The residents launched a search for the girl but she couldn’t be traced. The Wada Range Forest Office (RFO) members said the girl might have been mauled to death by the leopard. Meanwhile, a cage will be procured from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Borivali, to trap the predator.
Senior inspector Sanjay Hazare said, ‘We have called the SGNP authorities to provide us with a cage to trap the predator while we search for the girl. We will register a missing complaint on Thursday, if she is not found by then.” The matters are compounded by the fact that the Forest Department employees are on a two-day strike. Meanwhile, locals said leopard sightings are common and the Forest Department are not doing their job well.
Their grandfather was alerted when Avinash screamed for help. He later told that a leopard caught hold of Sonali’s arm and dragged her into the bushes. The residents launched a search for the girl but she couldn’t be traced. The Wada Range Forest Office (RFO) members said the girl might have been mauled to death by the leopard. Meanwhile, a cage will be procured from the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), Borivali, to trap the predator.
Senior inspector Sanjay Hazare said, ‘We have called the SGNP authorities to provide us with a cage to trap the predator while we search for the girl. We will register a missing complaint on Thursday, if she is not found by then.” The matters are compounded by the fact that the Forest Department employees are on a two-day strike. Meanwhile, locals said leopard sightings are common and the Forest Department are not doing their job well.
