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12 Varanasi villages put on alert after leopard attack
Joint forest teams from Varanasi and Chandauli actively conducting search operations
2 min read
Villagers are keeping night-long vigils with sticks and lighting firecrackers in an attempt to scare away the leopard.
In the wake of a leopard attack that left three injured in Varanasi last week, the forest department has launched a massive search operation for the animal and put 12 villages along the Ganga river on high alert.
The leopard was last seen on Friday hiding in the bushes, but despite the forest department’s efforts to trap it using cages and nets at multiple locations, it managed to evade capture.
Authorities suspect the leopard may have entered Varanasi from Chandauli or the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary.
The three persons injured in the Friday attack are still undergoing treatment in hospital, with doctors reporting their condition as stable. Joint forest department teams from Varanasi and Chandauli are actively conducting search operations and advising villagers to remain alert and follow safety precautions.
Though the leopard has not been sighted since Friday, officials believe it may have moved out of the area, but said that search and rescue operations are continuing with full vigilance.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Varanasi, Swati said there has been no confirmed activity of the leopard since Friday, and its exact whereabouts remain unknown.
She added that 12 villages along the river bank have been put on alert.
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However, tension prevails in 12 villages with a combined population of around 18,000, as fear of roaming leopard continues to disrupt their daily life.
Children and the elderly have been advised to step out only when absolutely necessary, while most villagers avoid venturing out after dark. The forest department has deployed guards, installed nets and cages, and launched intensive combing operations across the affected villages.
Villagers are keeping night-long vigils with sticks and lighting firecrackers in an attempt to scare away the leopard.
The animal was first sighted in Chirai village on Friday, where it attacked three men before escaping, despite efforts by the forest team. The same day officials also witnessed the animal by a drone camera.
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