This is an archive article published on October 19, 2024
Suspected man-eater leopard shot dead in Udaipur forests after attacking police constable
The leopard was shot at Madar village in Udaipur district’s Gogunda forest range. The state forest department had previously issued shoot-at-sight orders for the suspected man-eater.
“At around 6.30 am, a leopard suddenly came out of a bush and attacked our constable. It was at that moment that our constable immediately fired on the leopard. The first bullet hit its lower neck region. Later, other officials shot at the leopard. In total, it had four wounds,” he said. (Representational)
A suspected “man-eater” leopard that’s believed to have killed eight people in the forests of Udaipur over the last month was shot dead by a team of police and forest officials.
According to forest officials, the leopard was shot dead at Madar village in Udaipur district’s Gogunda forest range in the early hours of Friday. This comes two days after a local resident identified as Mangibai was killed while she was washing clothes near the village, which has seen three leopard attacks this week.
Udaipur Range IG Rajesh Meena told The Indian Express that police teams were hunting for the leopard in the early hours of Friday when it attacked one of the constables. The state forest department had previously issued shoot-at-sight orders for the suspected man-eater, which is suspected to have made its first on September 19.
“At around 6.30 am, a leopard suddenly came out of a bush and attacked our constable. It was at that moment that our constable immediately fired on the leopard. The first bullet hit its lower neck region. Later, other officials shot at the leopard. In total, it had four wounds,” he said.
According to the officer, the leopard was spotted Thursday but it escaped. However, whether this is the animal responsible for the attacks would only be known following an autopsy. “For that, the samples of its intestine have been sent to Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, where it will be tested for the presence of human flesh,” Meena said.
The leopard attacks had sparked protests in Gogunda forest range last month, prompting forest officials to set up cages and also enlist the aid of the Indian Army to help capture it. Four animals have been captured before this but killings continued despite these efforts.
According to Deputy Conservator of Forest Udaipur North Ajay Chittora the department will continue using cages until post-mortem results confirm that the leopard killed is a man-eater.
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“We can’t take any risk. We have asked the villagers to be alert. After the post-mortem, the leopard will be cremated,” Chittoda said.
Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions.
Expertise and Experience
Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public.
Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas:
Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight.
Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women.
Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use.
Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More
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