[LifeStyle] Gujarat: 75-year-old man killed in leopard attack in Amreli district

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A 75-year-old man died after being attacked by a leopard in his agricultural farm at Amreli district’s Dhari taluka in Gir (east) wildlife division Wednesday, forest officials said. He is the fifth person to die in man-animal conflict in greater Gir landscape in the last five weeks.

The septuagenarian was identified as Manubhai Savaliya, a resident of Amrutpur village which is located in Dalkhaniya range of Gir (east) wildlife division, Dushyant Vasavada, the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Junagadh wildlife circle said. Gir (east) division is a part of Junagadh wildlife circle.

“The man used to live in a cottage on his farm. He was found dead Wednesday morning. Pugmarks of a leopard were observed near his body. Prima facie it seems he was attacked by a leopard but we are waiting for the post mortem report to ascertain more details. Meanwhile, the staff is scanning the nearby areas to locate the leopard,” Anshuman Sharma, the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of Gir (east) division, said.

 

Dhari police said Savaliya’s body had been shifted to the state government-run Community Health Centre in Dhari village for post mortem. “Village sarpanch has told us that Savaliya was not mentally stable and, therefore, he used to live on his farm while most of the other members of his family lived in their home at Amrutpur village,” Sharma said.

In greater Gir landscape spread across Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath and Bhavnagar districts, Savaliya is the fifth human to be killed in as many weeks in conflict with wild animals. On December 21, Bhavna Bamaniya, a 17-year-old tribal girl from Dahod district, was mauled to death by two lions on an agricultural farm at Dhanfuliya village in Vanthali taluka of Junagadh district in Gir Somnath social forestry division. On December 24, Arti Makwana, a 17-year-old agricultural labourer, was attacked and killed by a leopard in a cotton plantation at Kasan village in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district in Shetrunji wildlife division.

On January 1, Arjan Bheda, a 27-year-old farmer was killed after being attacked by a leopard at Vithalpur village, neighbouring Kodinar taluka of Gir Somnath district in Jamwala range of Gir (west) wildlife division. On January 7, Hasmukh Makwana (4), son of an agricultural labourer couple, was mauled to death by a leopard in Nava Ugla village near Una town in Gir Somnath district.

Savaliya’s death comes two days after Hirabhai Taliya (50), a cattle-herder, was injured after being attacked by a lion when he tried to save his herd from the predator on the bank of a stream at Madhupur village of Dalkhaniya range on January 24. On January 23, Jorbubhai Jebliya (35), a resident of Dahida village in Sarasiya range of Gir (east) division in Dhari taluka was also injured after being attacked by lions in his village.