Vadodara: A four-year-old girl was killed in a leopard attack in Bodeli taluka of Chhota Udepur district on Wednesday night. The incident took place in Vajpur village around 8pm when Bhavya Rathwa was playing with other children in the compound of her house.According to officials, a leopard emerged from the darkness and suddenly pounced on the unsuspecting child before dragging her away. The other children and nearby residents raised an alarm, prompting the animal to release the girl and flee into the nearby forest.Rathwa’s family rushed her to a clinic in Jambughoda, where doctors declared her dead. She had suffered fatal injuries to her neck.Forest officials reached the village soon after the incident and installed a cage to trap the animal. A leopard was captured on Thursday, and authorities are investigating whether it is the same animal involved in the attack.“We placed a cage in the village, and a leopard was trapped on Thursday. We are verifying whether it is the same leopard that attacked the girl. The process of providing compensation to the bereaved family has also been initiated,” said Rupak Solanki, deputy conservator of forest of Chhota Udepur.
