Jaipur: A seven-year-old boy was mauled to death by a leopard near Ranthambore Tiger Reserve here on Thursday, police said.

The victim's family refused to accept the body and accused the Forest Department of negligence, they said.

The incident occurred near the Aatila Balaji temple when the child was walking holding his father's hand. The family, along with residents of a nearby settlement, was heading for darshan when the animal attacked.

"Suddenly, it came out of the bushes, grabbed my son in its jaws and dragged him away," the boy's father, Ramjilal Banjara, said.

"I ran after it, shouting for help," he added.

Hearing the cries, villagers rushed to the spot and hurled stones into the bushes. A search led them to the boy's body inside the forest, he said.

It was a leopard attack, Superintendent of Police Anil Beniwal said.

"There was leopard movement in the area in the evening. We had already alerted residents," Ranger Ashwini Pratap Singh said, adding that a beat guard had spotted a leopard earlier in the day.

PTI