Kupwara, August 22 (KNS): The incidents of man-animal conflict are increasing rapidly in northern Kashmir's Kupwara district. Over the past four days, the district has witnessed several attacks, resulting in the tragic deaths of two individuals, including a minor, and injuries to five others.
Reports available with Kashmir News Service (KNS) reveal that among these incidents, two separate attacks in Kupwara villages led to the unfortunate loss of a minor's life and left five others injured.
On Saturday evening, a heart-wrenching incident occurs when Subhat Jan, a six-year-old girl and daughter of Abdul Ahad Mir, is viciously attacked by a leopard while playing near her residence in Nichama Rajwar. The leopard swiftly drags her into the dense forest. Responding to her cries, family members and locals rush to her aid, managing to chase down the leopard and rescue the young girl.
Despite their valiant efforts, the severity of her injuries is too great, and she is hurriedly taken to local health care center. Regrettably, the minor girl succumbs to her injuries during transport.
In a similarly shocking incident, Gh Mohi-ud-Din Malik, the son of Ghulam Hassan and a resident of Drangsoo Mawer, sustains critical injuries following an attack by a black bear near his home in Handwara. The injured individual was transferred to Srinagar Hospital for advanced medical treatment; however, today he tragically succumbs to his injuries.
A day subsequent to this attack, an elderly woman named Rafeeqa Begum, wife of Nazir Ahmad Pir and a resident of Drangsoo Mawer, falls victim to a bear attack and suffers grave injuries.In another related incident, a minor boy is among the two injured in a Black Bear attack in Trehgam Kupwara. Both individuals are currently undergoing treatment in Srinagar.
These successive attacks trigger a sense of panic among the local populace. The residents of numerous villages within Kupwara district are experiencing sleepless nights due to the presence of wild animals, particularly leopards and bears, in the area.
Amidst the surge in attacks, residents are holding the Wildlife Department accountable for insufficient action in curbing the damages resulting from these wild animal encounters. The under-equipped wildlife department appears to be struggling, and its efforts are met with dissatisfaction from the community. A wildlife official attributes the lack of action to a shortage of manpower and advanced equipment.
The Wildlife Department issues an order for the elimination of a leopard that has turned into a man-eater in Rajwar Handwara.
Local residents emphasize that the predatory behavior of these wild animals has evolved into a severe threat for both humans and livestock. They implore the Wildlife Department to implement additional measures to ensure the safety of the community. As a preventive measure, the Wildlife Department has already set up cages to capture marauding leopards and black bears. "We can only install these cages and relocate the animals from residential areas. We strategically place numerous cages at various locations to apprehend these wild creatures," states a wildlife official. (KNS)