Leopard mauls girl in Dooars tea garden

TT, 27 Dec 2019, Alipurduar: A leopard attacked a seven-year-old girl in the Beech tea estate here on Wednesday.

Shampa Kujur has suffered injuries. "The girl was moving through a road when the animal jumped on her from a bush. As she raised an alert, we rushed to the spot and found her lying injured," said a resident. She is under treatment at a hospital.

On December 17, a leopard had killed a young girl in Garganda tea estate in Madarihat. The victim's body was found in the neighbouring Tulsipara tea estate.

A tea trade union leader in Alipurduar said: "After the incident at Tulsipara, the department has laid seven cages. But till date, no leopard has been trapped. Tea workers and their families, particularly who live in gardens which are close to the forests, are spending days in anxiety. The forest department should draw up a plan to stop leopards from sneaking into the tea gardensA forester said leopards often target easy preys that is why they get into gardens.

In Tulsipara, as the leopard did not respond to the bait put in the cages, foresters have placed talking dolls to attract the animal. "A bait has also been set up at Beech after the incident. We have also engaged our staff with dart guns. If they locate a leopard they will try to tranquillise it," he said..