Elderly Woman Killed in Leopard Attack, Panic Grips Uttarakhand Village

A 65-year-old woman was mauled to death by two leopards in a village in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal region on Thursday morning, in yet another tragic instance of escalating human-wildlife conflict in the Himalayan state.

The victim, identified as Sita Devi , a resident of Bamthi village, was attacked around 9 am while she was cutting grass in a field close to her home. According to officials, the leopards dragged her towards a nearby forest area.

The incident came to light when another villager, Munni Devi , spotted the predators near the victim’s body while returning home and alerted others. Residents who rushed to the scene found the body severely mutilated, triggering panic and anger across the village.

Locals alleged that forest authorities had failed to act despite repeated warnings about frequent leopard sightings in the area. “We had informed officials several times, but no preventive steps were taken. Now we are too scared to even step out,” a villager said.

Garhwal Divisional Forest Officer Rajat Suman said a response team was immediately dispatched upon receiving information. He added that patrolling has been intensified and trap cameras are being installed to monitor leopard movement.

“Orders have been received to tranquilise the animals or eliminate them as a last resort,” Suman said, noting that compensation procedures for the victim’s family have been initiated.

As fear grips Bamthi village, residents remain on edge, demanding swift action to ensure safety. The tragedy serves as a grim reminder of the fragile balance between human habitation and wildlife and the deadly consequences when that balance is disrupted.