Lakhimpur Kheri, July 28 -- A six-year-old boy was killed by a leopard in the Mahewaganj area of Gola Forest Range late Saturday night. The victim, Badal from Gyanpur village, was sleeping in a roadside hut when the leopard dragged him into nearby sugarcane fields and mauled him to death. His mutilated body was found the next morning. The leopard had consumed the lower part of the child's body. The family lived in a temporary shelter near dense fields, a known leopard habitat. Divisional forest officer Sanjay Biswal confirmed the incident and promised compensation. He said cages would be set and patrols intensified to capture the leopard. He urged residents to avoid sleeping outdoors and remain alert, especially near fields. Leopard sightings have surged in buffer zones around Dudhwa Tiger Reserve. Forest data shows a sharp rise in leopard numbers-from 34 in 2023 to 93 in 2025 in Dudhwa, and similar trends in Katarniaghat and South Kheri. Leopards, which avoid tiger territories, often move to forest fringes where human-livestock activity is high, increasing the risk of conflict. A similar clash in June in Dhaurahra range ended in a leopard's death after villagers retaliated. Deo Kant Pandey...