Four-year-old girl killed by leopard in Valparai, third such attack in two years
In a tragic incident, a four-year-old child, who was dragged by a leopard outside her house in Valparai in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border in has been found dead. The body of the girl child was found after an 18-hour search operation. The victim, identified as Roshni, was the daughter of Jharkhand natives Manoj Gupta and Monika, who had moved to Valparai just a week ago for tea plantation work.The shocking incident took place at Pachamala tea estate on Thursday, June 20, at around 4.30 pm while Roshni was playing in the courtyard of her house. A leopard emerged from the nearby tea plantation and vanished into the estate with the child. Though her family and neighbours gave a chase immediately, they were unable to rescue her.A massive search operation was launched by the police, forest department and the fire force along with local residents. Drones and sniffer dogs were deployed to comb the surrounding area. After nearly 18 hours, the child’s body was discovered about 300 metres from her house, inside the estate. Her body has been shifted to the Valparai Government Hospital.This is the third fatal leopard attack involving children of migrant plantation workers in Valparai in the last two years.In October 2024, Apsara Khatoon, a 6-year-old, also from Jharkhand, was attacked and killed by a leopard while walking through a tea estate with her mother. Her body was recovered near the forest edge after a search by forest officials and locals.In April 2023, a five-year-old boy named Akash, son of a tea estate worker from Jharkhand, was injured in a leopard attack at Malakkappara. He was playing near the workers’ quarters when the leopard, hiding in the plantation, pounced on him. The boy survived with injuries and was treated at the Valparai Government Hospital.
IN a tragic incident, a four-year-old child, who was dragged by a leopard outside her house in Valparai in the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border has been found dead.
The body of the girl child was found after an 18-hour search operation.
The victim, identified as Roshni, was the daughter of Jharkhand natives Manoj Gupta and Monika, who had moved to Valparai just a week ago for tea plantation work.
The shocking incident took place at Pachamala tea estate on Thursday, June 20, at around 4.30 pm while Roshni was playing in the courtyard of her house.
A leopard emerged from the nearby tea plantation and vanished into the estate with the child. Though her family and neighbours gave a chase immediately, they were unable to rescue her.
A massive search operation was launched by the police, forest department and the fire force along with local residents. Drones and sniffer dogs were deployed to comb the surrounding area.
After nearly 18 hours, the child’s body was discovered about 300 metres from her house, inside the estate. Her body has been shifted to the Valparai Government Hospital.
This is the third fatal leopard attack involving children of migrant plantation workers in Valparai in the last two years.
In October 2024, Apsara Khatoon, a 6-year-old, also from Jharkhand, was attacked and killed by a leopard while walking through a tea estate with her mother. Her body was recovered near the forest edge after a search by forest officials and locals.
In April 2023, a five-year-old boy named Akash, son of a tea estate worker from Jharkhand, was injured in a leopard attack at Malakkappara.
He was playing near the workers’ quarters when the leopard, hiding in the plantation, pounced on him. The boy survived with injuries and was treated at the Valparai Government Hospital.
