Leopard of Rudraprayag
leopard known to eat humans
The Leopard of Rudraprayag was a male man-eating leopard that measured to about 228.6 cm (7 ft 6 in) long, reputed to have killed over 125 people. It was eventually killed by hunter and author Jim Corbett using a .275 Rigby rifle now owned by the gunmaker.
Attacks
The first victim of the leopard was from Benji Village, and was killed in 1918. For the next eight years, people were afraid to venture alone at night on the road to the Hindu holy shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath, for it passed through the leopard's territory, and few villagers left their houses after dark. The leopard, preferring human flesh, would break down doors, leap through windows, claw through the mud or thatch walls of huts and drag the occupants out before devouring them. According to official records, the leopard killed over 125 people. However, Corbett notes that the number of deaths was probably higher as a result of unreported kills and deaths due to injuries sustained in attacks.
Hunt for the leopard
Units of Gurkha soldiers and British soldiers were sent to track it, but failed. Attempts to kill the leopard with high powered gin traps and poison also failed. Several well-known hunters tried to capture the leopard and the British government offered financial rewards.
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