Mumbai: 18-month-old girl child killed by leopard at Aarey colony

MUMBAI: An 18-month-old girl child Itika Lot was attacked and grievously injured by a leopard in Aarey Colony early Monday morning. The child died while being rushed to Seven Hills hospital, Andheri East for treatment.
The incident occurred at Unit No. 15 near New Zealand Hostel in Aarey Colony.
G Mallikarjuna, director and chief conservator of forests, Sanjay Gandhi National Park said this is the third incident in less than a month's time in the area. The forest department had already laid around four camera traps in the area but the incident was not captured on camera. The first incident took place on October 4, when a nine-year-old boy Himanshu Yadav was attacked when he was walking alongside his father around 9.30 pm to attend a Navratri Garba in the vicinity. At the time the forest department set up camera traps in the area.
In the second incident the leopard reportedly tore off the seats of several bikes parked in the neighbourhood, said Mallikarjuna. "From the description we have received from the locals we have zeroed in on a young adult who may be responsible for these attacks. We are increasing the number of camera traps in the area," he said.
Early Monday morning was the time for the early dawn Diwali puja. Local resident Jitendra Valvi said the child's mother had set out around 5.30-5.45 am to the nearby Shiva temple to offer prayers.
"Not finding the mother, the child immediately followed and was walking behind her when the leopard pounced on the little one. The mother saw what happened and immediately raised an alarm. The leopard escaped into the nearby jungle. Local residents launched a hunt for the child. Before the leopard could eat the child, locals were able to track them down. They chased the animal away. The child was still breathing and was rushed to the Seven Hills hospital. She died during treatment," he said.
Forest officials said the child had been hurt on the neck. "She was breathing when she was found but died on the way to hospital," said officials. A post-mortem was conducted at the Siddharth Nagar hospital.
There are around ten leopards in Aarey Colony. Mumbai, though a metropolitan city, has one of the highest densities of leopard owing to the presence of the SGNP which is surrounded on three sides by heavy urbanisation. The presence of uncleared garbage, dogs around the garbage dumps have aided the growth of leopard population in and around the park.