Excelsior Correspondent
KATHUA, Nov 12: An 18-year-old boy was mauled to death by a leopard in Makwal village of Ramkote area in Kathua district late last night.
Paroshotam Kumar, son of Mohinder Kumar was attacked and killed by the wild animal while returning to his residence in Makwal village in Ramkote area late last night, a police official said.
He said the victim’s mutilated body was recovered from the bushes and handed over to his family for last rites after completion of legal formalities.
The incident has caused panic among local residents who took to the streets this morning along with the victim’s body and blocked the main road to protest against the Wildlife Department.
Senior police and civil officers rushed to the area and persuaded the protesters to disperse, assuring necessary measures to prevent such an incident from occurring in the future, the official said.
The leopard remains untraced and is believed to have fled back into the forest, he said.
The protesters who blocked the Billawar road for one hour and protested in the area for three hours demanded presence of Chief Conservator of Wild Life Department. The protesters assembled at Chhallan Chowk this morning and kept the dead body on the road. Shouting slogans against the Wild Life Department they blamed it for the killing of the teenager.
The protesters also demanded compensation and Government job to one member of the victim’s family.
The officers who rushed to the spot assured that necessary steps will be taken for the safety of locals and also assured Rs three lakh as insurance compensation to the victim’s family. The Billawar police has registered a case and started investigation in the matter.
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