Wild animals, the carnivores majority of them having become maneaters after human intervention in the forests and excessive noise pollution including shortage of food inside jungles due to unwanted construction and massive fires during the summers etc have compelled the leopards, tigers etc run towards human habitats near jungles on roadsides and farmlands. The incident of human kills at the behest of these leopards having now become maneaters are increasingly multiplying with an inhabitant of Sirola village in Khirsu block under Pauri Garhwal village becoming the prey of a maneater literally killed brutally sending a wave of shock and horrible panic in entire Khirsu where tourists also pour in large numbers with their families including those settled in the plains during summer seasons. In view of the incessant prowling of maneaters in Khirsu for the last many days the local populace and those living in the surroundings are terribly shaken and terrified compelled to confine themselves indoors. Meanwhile on Devprayag road a leopard was hit by running vehicles profusely bleeding lying unconscious , though in half senses. It tried to move out of the road in safety but was so badly injured that he was compelled to surrender fully on the road lying unconscious with blood spots here and there. The wildlife department arrived on the scene and took the injured leopard into its fold for immediate treatment. The leopards and their cubs can be usually seen on Devprayag roads during night hours after nine on occasions. This writer has himself seen the leopards testing in the middle in the roads stretching themselves with their cubs. The all weather roads widening and renovation works including the Rishikesh to Karnaprayag Underground railway tunnels construction activities are going on on this stretch for the last several years and there had been massive drilling of rocks and usage of massive bulldozers creating lots of noise pollution including cutting of trees etc this disturbing and dislodging the wildlife on a massive scale.
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