Infant killed in suspected leopard attack

A nine-month-old boy was mauled to death, apparently by a leopard, in a village in Sindewahi taluka of the district early Sunday, officials said.

According to a forest official, the mortal remains of the infant were found around half a km away from his house located in Gadbori village.

"The baby boy was sleeping alongside his parents when a leopard possibly sneaked into their house, located close to a forest area, in the wee hours and took him away without anybody noticing it," range forest officer, Sindewahi range, Arun Gond, said.

Some time later, when the parents found the child missing from the place, they raised an alarm and informed the forest officials around 4 am. Thereafter, a search was launched and the infant's body was found, he added.

Gond said, preliminary investigation suggests that the child was killed by a leopard.

"We have set up camera traps and cages to capture the animal," he said.