Six-Year-Old Boy Killed in Leopard Attack in Lakhimpur Kheri
A six-year-old boy was killed by a leopard in Lakhimpur Kheri. Forest officials launch a manhunt after the tragic incident in Naurangabad Farm.
Tragedy struck the Naurangabad Farm area in Lakhimpur Kheri on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, as a leopard attack in Lakhimpur Kheri claimed the life of a six-year-old boy. The child, identified as Navjot Singh, was snatched by the predator while he was with his family, leaving the local community in a state of absolute terror.
A Terrifying Encounter in the Courtyard
The incident unfolded under harrowing circumstances. Navjot was returning from the fields alongside his father, Joga Singh, and his brothers when the leopard struck. The predator lunged from the shadows, snatching the young boy directly from his home courtyard. Despite the desperate and frantic attempts by his father to intervene and save his son, the leopard managed to carry the child away into the darkness.
The search for the boy ended in heartbreak when his partially eaten remains were discovered approximately 500 meters away, deep within the forest. The attack occurred within the jurisdiction of the Belrayan Forest Range, under the North Kheri Forest Division.
A Pattern of Violence in the Region
This is not an isolated incident of wildlife aggression in the district. The community is still reeling from another fatal attack that occurred just two days prior. On Monday, October 12, 2026, a seven-year-old girl named Sanya was snatched by a leopard while playing outside her home in Bojhiya village, located in the Dudhwa buffer zone. Her mutilated body was recovered from a sugarcane field the following morning.
The frequency of these encounters has raised serious questions about safety in the area. Residents recall a grim period in September 2024, when four people were killed in Jadaura village within a mere 35-day span. Even more recently, on September 13, 2026, a calf was killed at the same Naurangabad Farm where Navjot lost his life.
Manhunt Underway Amidst Public Outrage
Dhaurahra Forest Range Officer Ashok Kumar Srivastava has confirmed the attack and stated that combing operations have been intensified to locate the predator. To track and capture the elusive animal, the forest department has implemented several measures, including:
- The deployment of two specialized cages.
- The installation of multiple surveillance cameras.
- The use of drones to monitor the forest terrain.
Despite these high-tech efforts, the leopard remains at large, fueling the fear gripping the villages. Local residents have expressed intense anger and frustration, alleging that the forest department's response to these attacks has been dangerously delayed. Villagers are now demanding much stricter preventative measures to stop the rising tide of tiger and leopard attacks that continue to haunt the Lakhimpur Kheri region.