Man-eater leopard killed, woman injured in Kashmir

Srinagar, Feb 8 (UNI) A man-eater leopard was shot dead by police at Handwara in north Kashmir district of Kupwara today, a police spokesman said.

Official sources said a leopard attacked and injured a woman at Sunglan Utrasoo in south Kashmir district of Anantnag this afternoon. She was admitted to a hospital in a critical condition.

The spokesman said the leopard was killed under proper orders from the authorities. With this a total of three leopards were killed -- two by people and one by police -- in the Kashmir valley this year.

The leopard had killed a girl in November last year and had injured about ten people during the past two months in the forest area of Handwara.

Leopards killed four children in the South Kashmir in January this year.

Wild animals have killed more than a dozen people in the Kashmir valley since November last year. Officials said there were about 70 incidents of man-animal conflicts last year.

In view of frequent leopard attacks, a massive hunt has been launched by the wildlife department along with police to trap the animals.

UNI