Wild animal mauls teenager to death

Our Correspondent

Kathua, November 12

An 18-year-old boy was mauled to death by a wild animal in the Makwal area of Ramkot tehsil in the district last night.

The family members along with locals staged a protest by blocking Shalla Chowk on the Dhar road for several hours, demanding compensation and job for one family member.

According to reports, Parshotam Kumar, a resident of Makwal village, didn’t return home last evening, after which the family along with villagers started searching for him.

After some hours, Parshotam Kumar was found seriously injured some 100 metres from his house in bushes. The villagers immediately took him to Primary Health Center (PHC), Ramkot, where he succumbed to his injuries. It is believed that Parshotam Kumar was attacked and killed by some wild animal, most probably a leopard.

On Tuesday morning, the family members along with villagers blocked the Shalla Chowk on the Dhar road, after putting body of the victim on the road. The protesters were demanding Rs 10 lakh as compensation from the Wildlife Department and a government job for the victim’s family.

Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Billawer Sandesh Sharma immediately rushed to the spot and tried to pacify the protesters but all in vain.

After some hours Wildlife Conservator M.K Singh reached the protesting site and announced Rs 3 lakh as compensation from the department and the ADC announced Rs 2 lakh from the administration. After this the protesters lifted the dharna.