Nagpur: Nagpurians were left in shock after a horrific incident in the Narsala area under Hudkeshwar police station limits, where an eight-month-old girl was allegedly killed by an unidentified wild animal in the early hours of Saturday. The infant was reportedly snatched from beside her sleeping mother inside a makeshift hut and brutally mauled to death.

The incident occurred around 2 am near a cremation ground in Narsala, where the victim’s family, migrant labourers from Selmiya in Madhya Pradesh, had been living in a temporary hut for work. The deceased has been identified as Anushka Ravi Meda.

According to preliminary information, Anushka was sleeping next to her mother when the animal entered the hut and carried the infant away. When the child was found missing moments later, family members launched a frantic search, only to discover her body near a nearby drain. The sight left locals traumatised, as the animal had severely mutilated the body, devouring the infant’s chest and both arms.

The brutal nature of the attack has triggered fear and panic among residents of the area. While the exact animal responsible is yet to be identified, suspicion has fallen on a leopard, given the recent spate of leopard sightings and attacks reported on the outskirts of Nagpur over the past month. However, the possibility of an attack by a pack of stray dogs has also not been ruled out.

Hudkeshwar police have registered a case of accidental death and informed the forest department. Forest officials have begun an investigation and are likely to intensify patrolling in the area. The incident has raised serious concerns over safety lapses and delayed preventive measures by the civic and forest authorities, as residents demand immediate action to prevent further tragedies.