Leopard Terror: Two Women Killed in Uttarakhand

Two women lost their lives in separate leopard attacks within a span of 48 hours in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region. The first incident occurred in Bageshwar district, where a 48-year-old woman was attacked while grazing livestock during heavy rain. A day later, a 19-year-old woman from Almora district was killed while collecting fodder. Her body was later recovered from a nearby forest.

Forest department teams have been deployed to both locations, but operations are being hampered by difficult terrain and adverse weather conditions. The remote nature of some hamlets and the high elevation present significant challenges for the field personnel. These tragic events have intensified concerns over human-wildlife conflict in the hill districts.

The incidents are also fueling discussions on the procedures for identifying "problem animals" before capture or elimination orders are issued. Conservationists stress the need for evidence-based responses to ensure the correct animal is targeted. As of July, permissions had been granted for 13 leopard capture or elimination operations, with these two attacks increasing the number to 15.