SEONI: A 16-year-old girl was mauled to death by a leopard in the forest in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni district, an official said on Sunday.
The incident occurred under the Kanhiwada forest area near Pandiwada village on Saturday afternoon, Forest Ranger Yogesh Patel said.
The girl, Ravina Yadav, and her father had entered the deep forest, nearly 3-km from the mainland, for grazing the cattle when the big cat attacked the teenager from behind and grabbed her neck, he said.
Ravina's father tried to rescue his daughter by hitting the leopard with sticks but the animal also attacked him, Patel said.
As people from the vicinity gathered at the spot, the leopard fled into the forest leaving behind the body of the girl, he said.
Patel said the forest department has provided immediate financial assistance of Rs 10,000 to the family of the deceased.
They will be given the ex-gratia of Rs four lakh.
Meanwhile, a forest official said a cage has been set up in the area to catch the leopard.
In a similar incident, a 50-year-old woman was mauled to death by a leopard near Mohgaon village under the Keolari block in the Seoni district in a forest on September 15.