A 12-year-old boy from a village in the Nagrakata block of Jalpaiguri district died in a leopard attack on Wednesday evening.

Sources said the victim, Karimul Haque, from Khutabari in Nagrakata, had moved out of his home with his neighbour Sahabul Haque, 16, in search of a calf.

“They found the calf and were returning home with it when a leopard suddenly pounced on Karimul and dragged him to a farm, prompting Sahabul to raise an alert,” said villager Sabir Hussain. “Villagers started searching for him as well as the animal. Eventually, his body was recovered from the field.”

Karimul was a Class VI student at the Kalabari High School.

As the news spread, police officers from Banarhat police station and foresters from Binnaguri and Nathua forest range reached the spot. Police recovered the body, which was sent for a post-mortem.

Khutabari villagers said the leopard had been targeting their children. Most parents kept their children indoors on Thursday, they added.

Villager Ankita Munda said that a 13-year-old boy from their village, Ayan Munda, was missing for five days. "We fear the worst," she said.

Foresters have put up a cage in the village and are patrolling the area.

“We have put up a cage in the hope the leopard will be trapped soon. People have been asked to move in groups, especially after sundown. Children should stay indoors,” said Vikash V., the divisional forest officer of Jalpaiguri forest division. "Our staff are patrolling the area."