Leopard Sightings Trigger Fear In Kasrawad Village, Residents Allege Forest Department Inaction

Kasrawad (Madhya Pradesh): Panic has gripped Sameda village in Kasrawad after repeated leopard sightings over the past several days, with villagers accusing the forest department of failing to take preventive measures despite multiple alerts.

According to residents, farmer Pawan Patel first spotted a leopard near his field on May 24 while irrigating crops at around 3 am. Forest officials later inspected the spot, confirmed the animal’s presence through paw marks and assured action.

However, villagers claimed that officials have not taken any concrete steps since then. On Wednesday night, two youths, Yashraj Patel and Rishabh, again spotted a small leopard near a field at around 8.30 pm.

Earlier the same evening, three other youths also reported seeing the animal near a riverbank before it disappeared.

Villagers captured photographs of paw marks on mobile phones, leading them to suspect that more than one leopard may be roaming in the area, though officials have not confirmed this.

Residents alleged that the forest department has neither installed cages nor CCTV cameras for monitoring. They also complained that faulty streetlights near affected areas have increased the risk and demanded immediate safety arrangements.