Pithoragarh, March 29 -- A 19-year-old woman was injured after a leopard attacked her in Dungra Kuchgar village near Pithoragarh town in the early hours of Saturday, forest department officials said. The victim, identified as Sangeeta (19), a resident of Kuchgar village, had stepped out in the open around 4 am when the leopard, which was hiding nearby, attacked her and injured her on the left cheek. "The leopard attacked Sangeeta when she had gone out in the open. The animal was hiding and suddenly struck, injuring her," said Pithoragarh range officer Dinesh Joshi. According to officials, the injured woman was rushed to a hospital in Pithoragarh, where she is undergoing treatment and is reported to be stable. The forest department has deployed a team in the village and issued an advisory to residents to avoid venturing out alone or in the dark. "Besides sending our team to the village to caution residents, we have also provided Rs.10,000 as immediate assistance to the victim's family for treatment," Joshi added. Human-wildlife conflict is a major concern in Uttarakhand, particularly in the hill districts where villages are located close to forests and wildlife habitats. Frequent attacks by animals such as leopards, elephants, and bears not only results in loss of human lives and injures but also cause damage to crops and livestock, severely affecting rural livelihoods. htc...