Chhota Udepur (Guj), Sep 10 (PTI) An outsourced employee of the forest department was mauled to death by a leopard in Chhota Udepur district of Gujarat, officials said on Tuesday.

The attack occurred at Pavi Jetpur range forest on Monday evening, they said.

Also Read | Manipur Violence: Defying Curbs, Students Continue Protests in Imphal; Government Bans Internet, Reimposes Curfew in 3 Mphal East, Imphal West and Thoubal.

Ganpatbhai Tettabhai (45), deployed as a watchman, was dragged into Baria forest by a leopard, and his body was found on Tuesday, range forest officer (RFO) Vanraj Solanki said.

Tettabhai, a resident of Ambakhoot village of Pavi Jetpur taluka, was an outsourced employee of the forest department.

Also Read | Identify, Remove Obstacles in Research Ecosystem: PM Narendra Modi at First Anusandhan National Research Foundation Meeting.

"When Tettabhai did not return home from duty, his family members informed the forest department. The body was found on Tuesday afternoon. He had been dragged around 2 km away from the spot where he was attacked," the RFO said.

Forest officials noticed pug marks and the victim's shoes and bag at the spot, and the animal had bitten him on the back, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)