Two cheetahs have killed two cattle calves near a house in a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Sheopur district, triggering panic among locals, who now fear venturing into their fields at night.
A senior forest official, however, urged residents not to panic, saying cheetahs do not attack humans, and asked them to alert the forest department immediately if they spot the animals in their villages.
The cattle owner, Somla Singh, and his wife were sleeping on a cot near the shed when they woke up to the sound of the cursorial animals attacking the calves. The incident has heightened concerns among residents over cheetahs venturing close to their homes. The movement of cheetahs has made them apprehensive about travelling along village paths and working in their fields after dark. He urged residents to inform the forest department immediately if they spot the animals in their villages.
The incident occurred around 5 am on Sunday in Bamori village under Laharoni gram panchayat in Karhal tehsil, located 70 km from the Sheopur district headquarters, according to locals. Kuno National Park in Sheopur district is home to 53 cheetahs, including 40 Indian-born big cats.
It is said to be the first such attack by cheetahs in a residential area. The couple panicked when they saw the animals nearby and fled to safety, according to villagers. Villagers said farmers are currently irrigating rabi crops and often visit their fields at night. Cheetah project director Uttam Kumar Sharma said people need not panic as cheetahs do not attack humans. A cheetah monitoring team has been keeping watch on the animals round the clock, he said, adding that cattle owners are provided compensation as per rules in cases of livestock kills.
