Leopard Attack In Rajasthan: 3-Year-Old Boy Killed In Sawai Madhopur, Villagers Protest
A three-year-old boy, Dilkhush Bairwa, was killed after a leopard allegedly dragged him from the courtyard of his home in Rajasthanâs Sawai Madhopur district. His body was found on a hill after a search by villagers and forest officials. The incident triggered protests, with villagers demanding stronger security near human habitations to prevent further leopard attacks.
A three-year-old boy was killed after a leopard attacked him in Rajasthanâs Sawai Madhopur district, forest officials said on Friday, August 21. The child, identified as Dilkhush Bairwa, was playing in the courtyard of his home on Thursday when the leopard allegedly dragged him towards the forest, according to officials.
Deputy Conservator of Forests of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve Manas Singh said the childâs family and villagers began searching for him after the incident, while a forest department team joined the operation, PTI reported. The boy was later found injured on a hill and taken to the district hospital, where doctors declared him dead. Leopard Caught on Camera in Mumbai: Viral Video Shows Big Cat Hunting Stray Dog Outside Residential Society in Mulund.
Child Dragged From Home Courtyard
According to PTI, Singh said Dilkhush was playing in the courtyard when the leopard attacked and dragged him towards the forest. âFollowing the incident, the child's family members and villagers launched a search operation. A forest department team also joined the search after being alerted.â The child was eventually located on a hill in an injured condition. He was rushed to the district hospital, but doctors declared him dead.
Villagers Protest After Leopard Attack
The fatal attack triggered anger among residents, who later gathered at the Phalodi range office to protest. âDuring the protest, a motorcycle kept at the range office was set on fire,â officials said.
Villagers have demanded stronger security measures in areas adjoining human settlements to reduce the risk of further leopard attacks. The incident has also renewed concerns over interactions between wildlife and communities living close to forest areas in Rajasthan.
Another Fatal Leopard Attack In Pune
The Rajasthan incident comes after another fatal leopard attack involving a child in Maharashtra last month. A five-year-old girl, Bhagyashree Sandeep Ware, was killed after a leopard attacked her while she was sleeping outside a cowshed in Pimpalsuti village in Pune districtâs Shirur taluka in the early hours of July 22. Bhagyashreeâs family was originally from Karodi village in Ahilyanagar district and had been staying in Pimpalsuti, where they worked as labourers.
According to Shirur police, the attack occurred at around 2:40 am while Bhagyashree was sleeping with her family outside the cowshed of their employer, Machhindra Bhosale. Her uncle, 36-year-old Babasaheb Kondiba Ware, woke after hearing a noise and saw the leopard carrying the child. The family raised an alarm and chased the animal, but it escaped into a nearby sugarcane field.
Forest officials subsequently launched a search operation. Bhagyashree was found with severe injuries in the field and taken to the Rural Hospital at Nhavare, where doctors declared her dead before treatment. Forest department officials said around 14 fatal leopard attacks had been reported in the region over the past decade.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 21, 2026 11:10 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
