Leopard attacks kill 5 in Pauri Garhwal; Uttarakhand Forest Dept intensifies ops
Synopsis
Five people are dead in Pauri Garhwal and villagers have resorted to locking government officials inside a panchayat office — yet the man-eating leopard remains at large. With 23 wildlife-attack deaths already recorded in Uttarakhand this year and locals alleging years of official inaction, the crisis exposes a deep fault line between forest conservation policy and the safety of communities living on its edge.
Key Takeaways
Five people have been killed by a leopard in Pauri Garhwal , with the latest victim 62-year-old Sita Khanduri killed on 24 April 2025 in Bamthi village .
The incident is the 23rd wildlife-attack fatality reported in Uttarakhand so far in 2025.
The Forest Department has deployed five cages , trap cameras, and solar-powered cameras, with round-the-clock patrols in the affected zone.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has raised victim compensation from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh and allocated ₹131 crore for a human-animal conflict mitigation mechanism.
Wild animals have killed more than 100 people in Uttarakhand over the past five years , according to government data; locals say the actual toll is higher.
Angry villagers in Balmara locked over 15 officials inside a panchayat office on 11 April , demanding action against a man-eating leopard.
Repeated leopard attacks have left Pauri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand gripped by fear and anger, with the Forest Department stepping up round-the-clock operations after a string of fatal incidents pushed residents to the brink. The district has now recorded five leopard-related deaths, the latest on 24 April 2025, marking the 23rd wildlife-attack fatality in the state this year.
The Fatal Attack That Escalated the Crisis
The most recent victim, 62-year-old Sita Khanduri, was killed on 24 April 2025 in Bamthi village under the Pauri block. According to accounts from the day, she was carrying out routine household work near her home when a leopard, reportedly lying in wait, launched a sudden attack. The incident has since paralysed daily life in the village, with residents hesitant to step outside their homes.
This is not an isolated event. On 22 April, a woman was killed in a similar leopard attack in Nainital. Earlier, on 11 April, villagers in Balmara in Pauri Garhwal locked over 15 officials from the block administration and the Forest Department inside a panchayat office during a meeting convened to address the threat posed by a man-eating leopard that had already claimed two lives within a week. The most recent victim at that time was 45-year-old Prakash Lal, who was attacked and killed while returning home from work. The agitated villagers released the officials only after being assured the leopard would be captured or eliminated within days.
What the Forest Department Is Doing
Garhwal Divisional Forest Officer Mahitam Yadav said teams are patrolling affected areas around the clock.
Point of View
Yet communities on the forest fringe remain structurally unprotected. Chief Minister Dhami's ₹131 crore allocation is a significant acknowledgement, but money announced is not infrastructure deployed. The pattern — attack, outrage, assurance, repeat — suggests that compensation hikes and camera traps are treating symptoms while the underlying tension between forest expansion and human settlement goes unaddressed.
NationPress
2 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people has the leopard killed in Pauri Garhwal?
The leopard has killed five people in Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, with the most recent victim being 62-year-old Sita Khanduri, who was killed on 24 April 2025 in Bamthi village. This attack also marked the 23rd wildlife-related death in the state in 2025.
What steps has the Uttarakhand Forest Department taken to address the leopard attacks?
The Forest Department has deployed five cages, trap cameras, and solar-powered cameras in the affected zone and is conducting round-the-clock patrols. Divisional Forest Officer Mahitam Yadav has stated that capture is the primary goal, with elimination kept as a last resort.
What compensation has the Uttarakhand government announced for wildlife attack victims?
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami raised the compensation for families of wildlife attack victims from ₹6 lakh to ₹10 lakh. He also allocated ₹5 crore for a wild animal rescue programme and ₹131 crore for a broader human-animal conflict mitigation mechanism.
Why are villagers angry at forest officials in Pauri Garhwal?
Villagers allege that despite repeated leopard attacks over the years, adequate preventive action was not taken in time. On 11 April, residents in Balmara locked over 15 block administration and forest officials inside a panchayat office, demanding the man-eating leopard be captured or eliminated.
How widespread is human-wildlife conflict in Uttarakhand?
Government data indicates that wild animals, including leopards and bears, have killed more than 100 people in Uttarakhand over the past five years. Locals claim the actual number is higher, linking the rise in attacks to increased human intrusion into forest areas due to road expansion and development.
