KILLER BEAST
Girl, 6, mauled to death by leopard in FOURTH fatal big cat attack after three kids eaten last month
A GIRl, 6, has become the latest victim in a spate of leopard attacks as the beast pounced and dragged her away from her home.
Zubaida Jan was found dead despite her family following her screams and cries for help near her home in Gopalpora village, southern Kashmir, India.
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She is the fourth child to die in less than a month - with three other kids being killed by a leopard in the north of the region.
Zubaida's brother had also reportedly been attacked by a leopard just a month prior - but escaped with his life.
She had been playing outside her home on Friday when he leopard stuck.
The animal is reported to have pounced on her and their carried her away as she screamed.
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Locals rushed into the darkness to find the girl - only to find her dead from her injuries after 30 minutes.
The village has been left devastated, with video footage showing her family and locals wailing in grief.
Other footage shows locals searching in the darkness for the beast which remains at large.
Villagers are now demanding the authorities take action to hun the big cat.
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"We request the current administration either to eliminate or trap the big cat by mobilising all the available resources," a local said.
"We had recently found a leopard lurking around but the wildlife department has set up a cage and that's it."
He added: "They have lost their beloved daughter who will take care of it now?"
Leopard attacks have been rising since the start of the summer in Kashmir.
And there is a sense of fear growing after yet another child lost their life.
Wildlife officials and authorities have already cautioned the locals to keep an eye on their children.
Since 2007, at least 231 people were killed and more than 2,810 have been left injured in leopard, and bear attacks in the Himalayan state.
Last month, some 50 hunters were deployed to track down and kill a big cat which was roaming near Baramulla.
Rutba Manzoor, 8, Shahid Ahmed, 12, and Muneer Ahmad, 15, were all killed by the leopard.
The local administration advised the general public not to let their children go to the nearby forest alone.
And also the school children were asked to turn to school only after 9 in the morning to avoid such incidents in the public.
Rashid Naqash, regional wildlife warden, told local media the animal is "unpredictable" - warning the leopard could strike "anywhere at any time".
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