Srinagar, Oct 18: On the evening of October 12, a seven-year-old boy, Muhammad Razak Bajad, was mauled to death by a leopard in Wupzan village of Bijbehara in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

His father, Iqbal Bajad, a nomad from Reasi district, said the child was playing near their tent when the animal attacked.

“I was offering prayers just outside when I heard my son scream,” Bajad said. “We rushed to save him, but the leopard had already dragged him away.”

The Bajad family, like many nomads, had been guarding apple orchards during the harvest. Wildlife officials later launched a search operation in the area, while terrified residents now avoid venturing out after dusk.

Wildlife attacks have sparked renewed fear across Kashmir, particularly in south Kashmir districts, as a surge in

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