Three minor boys were saved from a leopard attack by the mother of two of them in Alipurduar district on Sunday, the latest in a series of incidents that have prodded foresters to lay cages to trap the animals who have strayed inside human habitations.

The two blocks in which leopard attacks have been occurring regularly are Birpara-Madarihat and Falakata. A number of leopards have strayed into these blocks for food, foresters suspect. Two persons have died of leopard attacks recently.

The leopard attack on three boys occurred in Dalgaonbusty, Jateswar-I in Falakata block.

Sources said Anish Oraon, 10, his brother Manish, 8, and their cousin Abhishek, 13, were playing in a courtyard at around 7.30pm.

Suddenly, a leopard pounced on them from a bush behind the house. It injured all of them and tried to drag one of them to the bush.

The screams of the boys raised an alert which made Sushanti, mother of Anish and Manish, run out with a stick. Eyewitnesses said Siushanti fearlessly gave the leopard a chase till it fled the spot.

Local residents rushed the boys to Birpara state general hospital where they were admitted.

On August 27, a leopard attacked Sarodini Roy, an elderly woman in Atitpara village of the same block. It dragged her away and severed her head from her torso.

On September 11, a leopard attacked and took away Sani Oraon, 7, from the Dheklapara tea estate of Birpara-Madarihat block where he was playing with friends. He died on the way to a hospital.

“The incidents have left us worried. Most of the people, especially in villages and tea gardens, are scrambling inside their homes in the evening. The leopards are even attacking people in courtyards. The forest department should take necessary steps to prevent more deaths and injuries,” said Rathin Roy, a resident of Jateswar.

Forest officials said they laid traps at a number of locations on both the blocks but not a single leopard has walked in.

“People are panicking and many are bursting sound crackers in the evening to keep leopards at bay. That is why the leopards are staying away from the cages. The residents should cooperate with us so that we can trap the animals and release those in the wild,” said a forester.

Ujjwal Kumar Ghosh, the additional principal chief conservator of forests (north), said they are putting all efforts to resist leopard attacks.

“In evening and night hours, we are deploying our staff in vulnerable areas. Also, initiatives are being taken to cage the animals,” said Ghosh.