A tragic incident occurred in Lakhimpur Kheri district of Uttar Pradesh when a 35-year-old farmer lost his life in a leopard attack.
The victim, Munna Lal, a resident of Lokai Purwa village under the Dhaurahra forest range, was attacked while collecting fodder for his cattle in a nearby sugarcane field, officials confirmed on Monday.
Munna Lal had left home around 7 AM on Sunday. When he did not return by noon, his family became concerned and began searching for him. His body was discovered approximately one km away from his house, near a field in neighbouring Dondra Panditpurwa village.
According to forest and police officials, preliminary observations suggest that the leopard was hiding in the nearby foliage and attacked Munna Lal when he was alone. Marks on the body indicated that the animal dragged him some distance before leaving the remains. A part of one leg was found nearby.
As news of the incident spread, local residents and family members gathered at the site in large numbers. The family, devastated by the loss, initially refused to allow the body to be sent for post-mortem, demanding that the leopard be located and captured first.
The situation escalated when Dhaurahra MLA Vinod Shankar Awasthi arrived at the scene. Expressing strong dissatisfaction with the forest department’s response, he instructed officials to act swiftly. “This is a serious issue. The animal has become dangerous. It must be captured without delay,” the MLA said. “No official is to leave this area until action is taken.”
Forest Ranger Nripendra Chaturvedi informed that trap cameras have already been installed in the area to monitor leopard movement. A cage will be placed by Monday afternoon, and permission has been sought from higher authorities to tranquilise and capture the animal if spotted.
Munna Lal is survived by his wife Pooja Devi (30) and five young school-going children. The victim was the sole earner of the family, relying on farming to make the ends meet. The family is in deep grief following his untimely death.
This is not an isolated case. Over the past month, four leopard attacks have been reported in the Dhaurahra and surrounding areas.