3 kids killed in 7 months: Panel formed to prevent human-wildlife conflict in Valparai

CHENNAI: A day after a leopard mauled a five-year-old boy to death in Valparai, the third child to be killed by a wild animal in just seven months, the State Forest Department has constituted a committee to recommend measures to prevent human-wildlife conflicts in the region.

Around 7.15 pm on Saturday, Saiful (5), the son of an Assamese family that works at Iyerpadi Estate in Valparai, was playing with his sister and brother when he was dragged away by a leopard. Later, a team of forest officials found his mauled body in the bushes. This was the third such incident in less than seven months; incidentally, all were children of guest workers.

According to the Forest Department, on the recommendation of the Chief Wildlife Warden, the government constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Rama Subramanian to strengthen long-term preventive measures, especially in estate areas outside the Anamalai Tiger Reserve boundary.

Deputy Director of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Pollachi Sub-Collector, representative from Nature Conservation Foundation, Municipal Commissioner of Valparai, and Assistant Commissioner of Labour (Plantations) have been included in the committee.

The committee will assess ground conditions and provide specific recommendations to ensure that conservation and safety measures are effectively implemented across the Valparai region. The committee will submit its report to the government within two weeks, the department said in a statement.

Saiful was the third child to be killed by leopards. On June 20, a five-year-old girl, daughter of a family from Jharkhand, was killed by a leopard at Pachamalai Estate (Tata coffee). In the second incident that happened on August 11, an eight-year-old boy from an Assam family was killed by a sloth bear at Waverly NEPC Estate.

Commenting on the latest incident, officials said Saiful’s body was later recovered from the tea bushes and moved to the Valparai Government Hospital for post-mortem examination. “To prevent the inconvenience caused to the public due to frequent movement of wild animals in the tea estate residential areas of Valparai, the Forest Department has been continuously conducting awareness programmes across all estate regions for workers and officials," the department said.

In addition, an awareness meeting was conducted with the Coimbatore Collector and Estate authorities. Moreover, instructions have been issued to the estate authorities to maintain proper clearance around labour lines, ensure adequate lighting around houses to enhance visibility, and strengthen vigilance during evening hours.