Death of minor girl in leopard attack in Budgam | Altaf Bukhari, Hakeem Yaseen express grief

Srinagar, Mar 29: Apni Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, on Friday, expressed profound grief and sorrow over the tragic incident in which six -year-old Toiba Mushtaq was mauled to death by a leopard in the Hariwani area of central Kashmir’s Budgam.

He extended his deepest sympathies to the bereaved parents and urged the administration to take preventive measures to avert such frequent incidents in the area, a press release said..

In his statement issued here, Apni Party president said, “I am deeply shocked to learn that yet another child, this time a 6-year-old girl, has fallen victim to the recurring human-animal conflict in Budgam. The girl was snatched from her residence's lawns by the leopard on Thursday evening. My heart goes out to the parents of the girl. No words of sympathy can ease the pain of parents who lost their child in such a tragic way. This is the second incident of this nature in the past seventeen days in Budgam.”

Urging the administration to ensure preventive measures to avert such horrific incidents in the future, Bukhari said, “The administration must ensure all preventive measures to avert such horrific incidents in the future. The wildlife department must come up with some practical solutions to address the chronic human-animal conflict in the Budgam areas.”

Chairman Peoples Democratic Front ( PDF)  and former Minister Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen also expressed serious concern  over the increasing incidents of civilian fatalities due to attacks of  man -eater leopards roaming in herds  in Karewa  Hariwanen  - Khansahib. He said a that bout a dozen herd  of  leopards are reportedly  roaming in Karewa Hariwanen adding that three children of the area have so far become  victim of their attacks . In one such unfortunate incident ,a girl child was lifted by a wild leopard yesterday  in Hariwanen village who eventually  lost her life .

He has urged the government to take effective measures , on war footing basis , to eliminate these man- eater   leopards roaming in various areas of Khansahib . He said people in the area are passing sleepless nights due to fear and were worried about  safety of their lives . He said the  peasants  of the area were also scared to go to their fields  for routine farming activities  due to fear of leopard attacks.