Leopard Drags Away 8-Month-Old Baby From Mother's Lap, Child's Mutilated Body Found

In a shocking incident in India, a leopard dragged away an 8-month-old child from his mother’s lap.

The woman was inside her house in a village located in the western state of Gujarat. The mother was breastfeeding her child late Friday night in their house when the animal dragged the baby away, the family told local media.

The mother chased the leopard for a distance, but the big cat disappeared, the Indian Express reported. The child's parents then raised an alarm and gathered the villagers, who assisted them in the search for the baby.

The following day, the officials launched a search, and found the child's mutilated body in the forest area of Nani Dungri. The child's remains were sent for an autopsy, and attempts were made to trace the leopard.

Authorities said they have set up two cages and trap cameras in the area, The Times of India reported.

Leopard and human conflict has seen a rise in the state and other parts of the country as more land is being used for farming, making people come in close contact with the animals in their natural habitat. This has not only increased fatalities among humans, but also among leopards as many animals have been killed due to the threats they pose.

Earlier this year, two children were attacked and killed by two different leopards within hours in India. The incidents took place in two villages that share boundaries with the Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The first leopard dragged a 9-year-old into the forest from outside his house where he was playing, following which villagers launched a search in the area. They later were made aware about another attack, which involved a 4-year-old boy. Soon, forest officials and the police joined the search. After searching for hours, the group found one of the victim's partially eaten body in a cane field. "It appears that there were two different leopards behind the attack. We have collected the pug marks and are trying to match the samples," Divisional Forest Officer of Katarniaghat Wildlife Sanctuary Akashdeep Wadhawan said at the time. "The locals have been advised not to allow their children to venture out when dark."