Forest officials said the Indian Army was using drone technology to help track down the leopard's pug marks. (Express)
A woman was killed by a leopard on Tuesday morning at Kelvo ka Kheda village, making it the seventh death from leopard attacks in the Gogunda area of Udaipur in the last 12 days. Following this, Rajasthan Wildlife Department officials said the leopard responsible had “become a man-eater” and issued orders to kill it on sight.
The woman who died on Tuesday was 55-year-old Kamala Kunwar. She was cleaning her courtyard when a leopard attacked her and dragged her out of the house at around 8 am, officials said.
According to officials, the leopard dragged the woman around 100 metres from her house. Her family members heard her screams and subsequently, local residents gathered and went into the forest looking for her.
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When the search party approached, the leopard left the body and ran away. The woman, who had a deep wound on her neck, died on the spot.
A day earlier, a temple priest was killed by a leopard at a short distance from Tuesday’s attack.
Chief Wildlife Warden Pawan Kumar Upadhyay told The Indian Express that orders have been issued to shoot the leopard on sight.
“It has become difficult to catch the leopard, and the series of deaths shows that it has become a man-eater. Hence, we have decided to shoot the leopard,” he said.
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He also said that Army personnel had been called in to shoot the leopard. “The police force and local villagers will also make their contribution. We are hoping that this problem will soon be resolved,” Upadhyay said.
In protest against the spate of killings from leopard attacks, local residents tried to block National Highway 27. However, after some persuasion from SP Yogesh Goyal, they dispersed, but refused to cremate the body of the woman who was killed Tuesday.
Forest officials have put up cages at six different places. Two cages were transported from Rajsamand district and two were newly built in the city to increase the chances of catching the leopard. Along with this, six cameras have been installed to keep an eye on the movement of the leopard.
The Army, forest officials, police officials, and locals are working together to catch the leopard, officials said. Locals are also using dhols – a traditional way to get the leopard out of its hiding place.
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
