Fear and anger gripped villages near Karanprayag after a leopard continued attacking cattle across the Gairsain border areas of Mehalchori and Kunigad for over a month. On Thursday night, the leopard entered a cowshed in Ujitiya village and killed a cow and its calf, triggering strong protests by local residents.
The affected belt lies along the Kumaon–Garhwal boundary, where repeated leopard attacks have been reported. In Bhandarikhod village of the Garhwal region, three cows belonging to Krishnanand Thapliyal were killed earlier. In Ujitiya, the leopard also attacked a pet dog owned by Mohan Singh during the afternoon, leaving it injured. Another cow was killed in Rangchauna village. Nearby villages in Almora district, including Pasaragaon, Puranalohba and Navan, have also reported the killing of five cows in recent days.
Villagers fear that the leopard, having repeatedly targeted livestock, could now pose a threat to children and elderly residents. Demanding immediate action, angry locals detained forest department staff for nearly two hours after the latest attack. The situation eased only after Zila Panchayat member Suresh Bisht reached the spot and assured villagers that a cage would be installed without delay.
After the assurance, the detained forest personnel were released, and the carcasses were disposed of following post-mortem procedures. Suresh Bisht said the frequency and pattern of attacks raised concerns that the leopard could turn man-eater. Following discussions with senior forest officials, permission was granted to install cages in the affected area.
Local representatives, including Silanga village head Deepa Devi and Kshetra Panchayat member Virendra Negi, urged the department to act swiftly, citing how a leopard was captured within two days in similar incidents in Almora district. Forest Range Officer Pradeep Gaur confirmed that a cage has been installed and patrolling intensified, while advising residents to remain cautious.
