Girl child killed in leopard attack

Enraged over the recurring attacks by wild animals in the area, the people resorted to a sudden road blockade on the Gudular-Pandalur road demanding appropriate action by Forest officials.

A three-year-old girl died after being fatally attacked by a leopard in Gudalar in the district on Saturday, police said. The leopard attacked the girl who was playing in a tea estate at Thondialam in Pandalur this evening. She succumbed while the villagers were rushing her to the government hospital at Pandalur, police said. Enraged over the recurring attacks by wild animals in the area, the people resorted to a sudden road blockade on the Gudular-Pandalur road demanding appropriate action by Forest officials. According to a Forest official, the department had laid traps at six locations to capture the leopard on the prowl. ''Our team fired tranquilizer shots at the animal. We will capture it soon,'' he said.

It would be very challenging to capture the leopard if people resorted to road blockade agitation or ventured into forest areas, he added.

Today's incident has caused apprehension among the people in the area.

Police and forest department staff from Gudalur and Pandalur have stepped up vigil in the area.