Itika Lot, an 18-month-old girl, was bitten and severely hurt by a leopard early on Monday in Aarey Colony. The infant passed away while being sent for treatment to Seven Hills hospital in Andheri East. The incident took place at Unit No. 15 near New Zealand Hostel in Aarey Colony.
This is the third incidence in the region in less than a month, according to G Mallikarjuna, director and chief conservator of forests at Sanjay Gandhi National Park. Four video traps had already been set up in the vicinity by the forest department, but the incident was not recorded. The first incident happened on October 4, when Himanshu Yadav, then nine years old, was attacked while walking with his father to a nearby Navratri Garba at at 9.30 p.m. The forest department had placed video traps there at the time.
In Aarey Colony, there are approximately ten leopards. Due to the presence of the SGNP, which is surrounded on three sides by dense urbanisation, Mumbai, despite being a major metropolis, has one of the greatest populations of leopards. The increase in leopard population in and around the park has been facilitated by the presence of dogs around the rubbish dumps and uncleared garbage.