Another leopard attack in Nashik: Two-year-old dragged away from Army Area
A two-year-old boy was dragged away by a leopard from Nashik's Army Area, sparking anger and grief. The attack comes weeks after a similar incident killed a three-year-old, fuelling demands for stronger forest department action amid recurring leopard menace.
New Delhi: Panic and anger gripped the Army Area's Kargil Gate locality in Nashik on Tuesday night after a leopard attacked two-year-old Shrutik Gangadhar inside the Artillery Centre premises and dragged him towards the nearby Waldevi river forest.
The incident occurred around 10 pm when Shrutik, son of an Army jawan, was playing in the compound. Local residents and Army personnel immediately raised an alarm, and senior Forest Department officials rushed to the spot. A search operation using drones was launched, with villagers from Vadner Gate, Vadner, Vihitgaon and nearby areas joining the effort.
Second attack in six weeks
This is the second such incident in the area in less than two months. About six weeks ago, three-year-old Ayush Bhagat was killed after a leopard dragged him into a sugarcane field. The attack had sparked widespread anger against the Forest Department.
Ayush had been playing outside his home around 8.30 pm when the leopard pounced. It was only when the boy did not respond to his father's calls that the family realised what had happened.
Spate of attacks in recent months
June 15 | Three people working in a farm were injured in a leopard attack in Kochargaon village in Dindori taluka
June 5 | A farmer (45) was killed in a leopard attack in a village in Chandwad while returning home from work
May 21 | A youth (26) was injured in his neck and shoulders in a leopard attack at Belgaon Dhaga, 20km from Nashik city
May 31 | A boy (5) was killed in an attack when he was with his grandfather outside home
April 25 | A woman (20) died in Vanarwadi village in Dindori taluka when a leopard pounced on her while she was cutting grass
March 24 and 25 | Two leopards and a hyena were spotted in Lonkar Mala along the Jai Bhavani Road area of Nashik Road