Lack of toilets, open defecation resulting in people falling prey to leopards in UP village, 3 ded, 8 injured

In the last one month, at least three people have died in leopard attacks in Bijnor of Uttar Pradesh with the latest attack taking place on Saturday.

Bijnor: Open defecation resulting from faulty and inadequate toilets is costing people their lives in leopard attacks in the Kaziwala village of Uttar Pradesh. Forced to go to the fields to answer nature's call in the absence of adequate toils in the village, so far three villagers have fallen prey to the big cat in the last month with the latest fatality taking place on Saturday morning. At least eight villagers suffered injuries due to leopard attack while going to the field for defecation.

According to officials, a 42-year-old woman, identified as Mithlesh Devi who had gone to defecate in a forest here in Nagina town's Kaziwala village was killed by a leopard on Saturday. Hearing her scream, the villagers reached the spot and recovered the body of the deceased. On receiving the information, the Forest Department officials reached the spot.

Hari Singh, the husband of the deceased Mithilesh said, "Mithilesh had gone to work on the farm. From there she went to the field where the leopard attacked her and she died on the spot." Villagers said that till now three people have died due to leopard attacks. Apart from this, eight people including a girl child have been injured.

Divisional Forest Officer Amar Singh said, "There was a toilet at the deceased woman's house. She went to work on the farm. During this, she lost her life in a leopard attack. The activity of the leopard is being monitored through cameras. The cage has also been installed. The team is trying to catch the leopard."

Rajkumar, a resident of the village said, "Many toilets built in the village are incomplete. Most of the toilets built under the government's scheme are no longer fit for use. There are no sheets in many toilets. The pits of many toilets have been made so small that they get filled before time. There are other similar problems as well. Because of this, many women and men have to go to the fields for defecation keeping their lives at risk."