245 people lost their lives and over 30,000 were injured in the man-animal conflict across JK since 2006, reveals official data on Tuesday.
Official data accessed by the Kashmir News Service (KNS) reveals that from 2006 to 2022, 245 people lost their lives, and 30,000 received injuries in animal attacks.
The number of deaths has particularly gone up between 2011 and 2020. In 2018, eight persons were mauled to death, while it was 11 the following year. In June this year, three minors were killed in a leopard attack in different areas of Uri while in September two more minors fell prey. Similarly in northern Kashmir’s Handwara tehsil two minors were killed in a leopard attack in different areas
Till 2005, reports of man-animal conflict would rarely pour in. But over the past 15 years, as per the data prepared by the wildlife department of Kashmir, wild animals have easily gained entry into residential areas of Kashmir’s major towns that include Pulwama, Shopian, Budgam, Baramulla Ganderbal, and Srinagar.
In a region where over 40000 lives have been lost to strife and conflict over the past more than three decades, the man-animal conflict has now only added to the challenge of the J&K administration manifold.
With fresh incidents of leopard attacks, the inhabitants of the valley are living under constant fear and threat with many having curtailed their movement out of their homes in the morning and evening hours.
Officials said that people living close to the forest area need to take extra precautions while venturing out during mornings and evenings. “Children and women need to be extra cautious and don’t need to come out without being accompanied by the elders,” he said.(KNS)