J&K: 3-year-old mauled to death by leopard; decapitated body found

Jammu, Dec 19: The headless body of a 3-year-old boy was found on Tuesday after the child was snatched from his home and dragged into the woods by a leopard, officials said.

The child, identified as Wasim Akram, was at home with his mother when the animal snuck inside, pounced on him and dragged him away, local officials told.

The child's headless body was handed over to his parents after the grisly discovery was made.

Official estimates suggest there are between 12,000 and 14,000 leopards in India.

An estimated 431 leopards were killed in 2017, according to government figures. Most were killed by poachers for their hides and body parts.

Last week a Buddhist monk was killed by a leopard while meditating in a forest in the western state of Maharashtra, the fifth such attack in the area this month.