Handwara, Jul 13: Residents of Rajpora area of Handwara in north Kashmir’s Kupwara on Wednesday staged a protest against the Wildlife department, alleging that it has failed to kill or capture the man-eater animal that mauled to death a minor girl last week.

While chanting slogans against the wildlife department, locals said that the department has completely failed to kill or capture the man-eater leopard in the area which could put people mostly minors here at risk.

“For the last several days, four wildlife employees have come here and told us that they have not yet got permission to kill this animal. We do not understand what they are doing here then,” they said.

Abdul Qayoom, a local said that if this deadly leopard is not caught or killed, it could be a severe threat to their children. “We ask the administration to catch or kill him as soon as possible”, he said.

The locals said that people of Rajwar area are spending sleepless nights as the man-eater leopard is still on prowl.

“We are trying our best to trap the leopard. We have stepped up the patrol and would trap or kill it,” an official who is monitoring the operation said.

A four-year-old boy was mauled to death by a leopard in Rajwar village of Handwara last week following which the massive hunt was launched against it.