Elderly woman mauled to death in animal attack in Udaipur

Udaipur, Sep 29 (PTI) A 65-year-old woman was mauled to death in a suspected leopard attack in Rajasthan's Udaipur district, officials said on Sunday.

Gattu Bai was attacked by an animal on Saturday when she was alone at her home in Gurjaron ka Guda village in Gogunda area, they said.

According to officials, when her husband returned home in the evening and could not find her, he alerted the villagers. The locals initially found pieces of her saree, some jewellery and traces of blood which led them to intensify the search.

Later, the woman's mutilated body was found in a nearby forest, they said.

A forest official said that post-mortem report will make it clear wether it was an attack by a leopard or somen other animal.

This is the fifth incident of animal attack in the area within 11 days, which has created panic among the locals.

Meanwhile, a panther was captured in the forest area of Gogunda late on Saturday.

A 16-year-old girl was killed by a leopard on September 18, a man aged 50 years was mauled to death by the big cat on September 19, a 40-year-old woman was killed supposedly by the same animal on September 20 and a five-year-old girl was mauled to death by the leopard on September 25.

The incidents occurred at different locations in Gogunda, prompting the forest authorities to place five cages in order to capture the leopard that is believed to have taken shelter in the hilly area nearby.

Prior to the latest capture on Saturday night, three leopards have also been captured in Gogunda.