Uttarakhand: Leopard kills elderly in Almora village

ALMORA: A 62-year-old man was killed by a leopard on Tuesday night in Udal village of Bhaisiachhana block in Almora. The man was identified as Ramesh Ram. The leopard attacked him when he was returning home from Petsal market, situated some distance away from his village.
Forest department officials confirmed the killing by big cat and have informed that they recovered the mutilated body of the deceased."When the deceased did not return home, his family members began to search for him. In the morning, his mutilated body was found in a nearby forest. We have sent the body for postmortem examination," Sanchita Verma, Almora (Badechina division) range officer, told TOI. The official added that the victim’s kin have been given an immediate aid of Rs 50,000. “The remaining amount of compensation will be given to them after the autopsy report comes in," she added.
Following the killing, residents demanded the forest department to declare the leopard a man-eater. Verma said that the department has written to chief wildlife warden regarding the killing and has asked for permission to set up cages to catch the leopard. She said that after the postmortem report comes, senior officials of the department will decide whether or not to declare the leopard a man-eater.