Lakhimpur Kheri (Uttar Pradesh) , Aug 21 (IANS): An eight-year-old girl was mauled to death by a leopard in a paddy field close to Majhgain range forests of Dudhwa buffer zone.

The incident took place late on Saturday evening.

The deceased has been identified as Ragini, a resident of Murgaha village under the Nighasan Kotwali area.

Deputy director, Dudhwa buffer zone, Sundaresh confirmed the incident.

The girl along with her maternal uncle and some other farmers had gone to the fields.

Ragini was sleeping under a bullock-cart when a leopard came out of a field, attacked her, and attempted to drag her away to a neighbouring sugarcane field. Hearing her shrieks, her maternal uncle and other farmers rushed to her rescue after which the leopard disappeared.

The girl, however, succumbed to the injuries.

The deputy director, Dudhwa buffer zone, said, "Compensation to the aggrieved family would be given after a report from local forest officials."