Damauli, December 30

The mangled body of a 22-month-old boy was found at Dhandhunga Community Forest of Suklagandaki Municipality-3, Tanahun, today. The child had gone missing at 05:00pm yesterday and was found dead today at noon.

DSP Lilaraj Lamichhane said the child was Laxmi Nepali’s son Rabi Nepali. The child’s head, chest and hands were eaten by a wild animal. Laxmi Nepali said her son had gone missing from outside her home when she had stepped inside after feeding him.

Police surmised a wild beast might have taken the child away from home and eaten him. Police and locals had launched a joint search operation last night.

Police had followed the blood-stained path and reached the forest in search of the  missing boy. The body has been kept at Damauli Hospital for post-mortem.

Locals say that a leopard must have carried the child to the forest and killed him.

Leopard attacks have killed as many as six people in Bhanu Municipality, Tanahun.