Muzaffarnagar: Kawal village in Muzaffarnagar, which was the ground zero of the 2013 riots in the region, is tense again. This time because of an unidentified beast which has already attacked three persons injuring them seriously. Villagers are now taking turns to keep night-long vigils in the region. Forest department has not been able to identify the animal as of now, but has installed several cages to trap it.Dipak Chaudhry, deputy forest ranger, said, “We cannot confirm which type of animal is roaming in the area, but we will trap it soon.” Several forest department’s patrol parties are combing through the area, Chaudhry added.Villagers said that the beast could be a leopard who is attacking people in the village.Kawal village chief Islam Ahmed said, “Villagers are describing the animal as leopard. The forest officials, however, rule it out. People have been locked indoors for days now and are only venturing out in groups.”Two days ago, a woman named Sunita Devi, 55, who was attacked by the animal, sustained severe injuries on her head and has been referred to Delhi where her condition is still critical.Chief medical officer PS Mishra said, “The injured woman was brought to a community health centre in Jansath before she was referred to the district hospital. She had claimed that a monkey had attacked her.”

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