TUMAKURU: In a heart-wrenching incident, a four-year-old boy was mauled by a leopard at Rajendrapura hamlet at Hasige Hobli village near Huliyurudurga in Kunigal taluk on Saturday. The deceased was identified as Chandu, son of Muniraju, hailing from the 'iruliga' community.

The boy's mother Doddaeramma had taken him along with her to wash clothes at a tank when the animal attacked him as he was playing. When passersby scared the animal, it escaped leaving the boy's body behind, the Range Forest Officer(RFO) Manjunath informed The New Indian Express.

He was the only son and third child of the family that lives on the edge of the forests. Since they do not even have a bank account, the compensation of Rs 7.5 lakh will be transferred only after getting it opened by Tuesday, informed deputy conservator of forests Girish who visited the spot.

It's the third incident of leopards killing kids in the district in a span of six months.