A 6-year-old girl was killed in a horrifying leopard attack outside her home in western India, and wildlife officials have launched an intensive search to capture the animal before it can strike again.
The victim, identified as Prisha Solanki, was playing in the courtyard outside her family’s home in Dedkiyal village in Gujarat’s Junagadh district on the night of Sept. 23 when the leopard suddenly emerged from nearby grass and attacked her.
Security camera footage captured the terrifying sequence, showing Prisha outside the home moments before the leopard rushed toward her and carried her away. The video was later circulated by Press Trust of India.
Prisha’s uncle, Ketan Solanki, said the attack happened without warning.
“She was playing in the courtyard outside our house when the leopard suddenly pounced on her and took her away,” he told the Times of India.
Family members and villagers immediately began searching for the little girl.
Reports differ slightly on how long the search lasted. The Times of India said her body was found about an hour later, while local Gujarat reporting said villagers located her in a nearby soybean field closer to two hours after the attack.
The tragedy has left residents fearful that the leopard could attack again.
The Gujarat Forest Department quickly launched a trapping and tracking operation in the area. Press Trust reporting said eight cages were placed around the village, while another local report said the operation later expanded to 10 cages and involved roughly 30 to 35 forest personnel from four ranges.
Prashant Tomar, the deputy conservator of forests for Gir West, is the senior forest official responsible for the division covering the area. Gujarat government records confirm his post.
Officials have also increased patrols and are trying to track the leopard’s movements.
Residents were urged to use extra caution at night while the search continues.
The attack has also sparked anger among members of Prisha’s family and the surrounding community.
One local report said the family initially refused to accept Prisha’s body until the leopard was captured and demanded financial assistance from the government. The same report said villagers accused forest officials of responding too slowly, while a range forest officer denied there had been a delay.
Indian leopards live across a wide range of habitats, including forests, farmland edges and areas close to human settlements.
That overlap can create dangerous encounters, particularly in rural communities where homes, livestock and children may be close to wildlife habitat.
Leopard attacks remain a serious concern in parts of India, especially where expanding communities and shrinking habitat bring people and big cats into closer contact.
In another widely reported case earlier this year, a leopard entered a liquor store in Rajasthan and attacked two employees before wildlife officials tranquilized and captured it several hours later.
In Prisha’s case, however, the outcome was devastating.
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