A large-scale search operation is underway in the Valparai hills after a four-year-old girl was reportedly attacked and dragged away by a leopard on Friday evening. The child, Roshini Kumari, is the elder daughter of Manoj Munda and Monica Devi, migrant workers from Jharkhand, residing in Pachamalai South, a tea estate in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district.
Forest department officials said the incident took place around 6:00 p.m. when Roshini was standing outside her residence. In a turn of events, a leopard emerged from the nearby forest, seized the child in full view of her mother, and disappeared into the surrounding wilderness, reported The New Indian Express. Monica Devi’s screams alerted neighbouring estate workers, who immediately began a search in the area.
In response, forest personnel, supported by local police, launched an extensive combing operation across the dense, hilly terrain. Searchlights, drones, and sniffer dogs have been deployed to aid the effort. As of 9:30 p.m. on Friday, the child had not been located, and her condition remained uncertain.
Human-Animal Conflicts In TN
The incident has left the local community shaken heightening concerns over increasing encounters between humans and wildlife. Forest officials acknowledged a noticeable rise in such conflicts, especially involving leopards and elephants, across Tamil Nadu’s forest-adjacent areas, reported NDTV.
In a bid to tackle the growing risk, the Tamil Nadu Forest Department has started installing artificial intelligence-powered surveillance cameras in sensitive regions. These systems are designed to track animal movements and issue real-time alerts to nearby human settlements, aiming to prevent similar tragedies.
