Garden nightmare

Siliguri, May 21: A girl was mauled to death by a leopard in a tea garden in Malbazar subdivision last night, six days after a boy was killed in a similar attack.

Following the death of Shivani Nayek, the workers and the residents of Good Hope Tea Estate, located 55km from here, turned violent and attacked police who had reached the spot.

Around 7pm, a leopard, which was said to be seen in the plantation in the past few days, pounced on the eight-year-old Shivani, a resident of Mangal Line, and dragged her away. The mother, who was accompanying the girl, raised an alarm.

The neighbours came out of their houses and started a frantic search for the girl. Around 30 minutes later, they found the lifeless body of Shivani lying in a pool of blood, some 50 metres from her home.

Hearing the incident, the police from Malbazar, located 7km away, reached the garden. Mistaking them for the forest guards, the people became angry and ransacked the vehicles in which the law enforcers had come. A constable was injured in the melee.

After sometime, members of the wildlife squad, stationed in Malbazar, arrived at the spot and they were also encircled by the mob.

Finally, the guards and the police officers paid a compensation of Rs 20,000 to Shivani’s family and assured them of more help. Around 3am, the villagers allowed the policemen to take away the body for post-mortem and dispersed.

“We think there is more than one leopard in our estate and want the forest department to intervene,” said the garden manager. He added that the labourers were initially reluctant to join the work today, fearing that the animal would make a comeback.

“On May 15, a six-year-old boy of Karan Line, located under the same Hati Jungle Division of the estate, was mauled to death by a leopard,” said Sanjib Oraon, a local Citu leader. “We have approached the foresters many times and told them about the problem. If they fail to catch the animal, the workers will launch an agitation,” Oraon added.

The foresters and the police again went to the estate today and laid four traps in different locations.

“We have laid traps and hope to find the animal in any of the cages soon. We are waiting for the post-mortem report to confirm whether the girl was killed by the leopard,” said P.T. Bhutia, the chief conservator of forests (wildlife).

The guards, equipped with tranquillisers, were also deployed in the garden and they will sedate the leopard the moment it is spotted.

Leaflets were distributed in the locality and there were announcements through public address system, telling the people not to come out alone at night.