A seven-year-old boy, son of a migrant worker, suffered injuries in a leopard attack at Valparai within the limits of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR) on Monday.
The injured was identified as Pradheep, son of Sanjay who works in field No.22 of Woodbriar tea estate at Sirukundra, lower division, at Valparai.
According to the Forest Department, Bardeep was mauled by a leopard when he was playing outside the workers’ quarters around 7.30 p.m. on Monday.
A leopard that emerged from the tea bushes attacked the boy and tried to pull him towards the bushes. The boy cried out for help and other workers came to his rescue. The big cat left the boy and retracted into the bushes.
A portion of the scalp at the back of the boy’s head came off in the attack of the carnivore. He also suffered a cut on his right hand.
The workers immediately alerted the estate management and the Forest Department. The boy was rushed to the Government Hospital in Valparai.
G. Venkatesh, Forest Range Officer, Valparai, said doctors examined the boy whose condition was stable. Mr. Venkatesh handed over an immediate relief of ₹ 10,000 to the family of the boy.
The Department has formed a 12-member team to monitor the leopard movement in the tea estate and instructed tea estate management to ensure that workers do not dump meat waste around the quarters. Fixing of camera trap has also been planned in the locality for regular monitoring of leopard.
As movement of leopards is common in the Valparai plateau at night, the Forest Department had given instructions to estate managements and workers not to venture out in the early hours and night.
In April this year, two migrant workers were injured in attacks by a leopard on two consecutive days in field No.35 of Woodbriar tea estate at Sirukundra.
