ISLAMABAD, July 9: Troops are hunting a leopard that has killed six women in the mountains of Abbottabad, police said on Saturday. The killings began early this month and the latest victim was attacked on Friday, said Feroz Shah, senior superintendent of police in Abbotabad. “So far, there have been six cases of killing by leopard, all women,” Mr Shah told Reuters.

“That, perhaps, is because women go out alone to fetch wood and fodder.” A team of police commandos waited in ambush for hours at the bloody site where the woman was killed on Friday, hoping the animal would return but it did not, he said.

The killings had taken place over a wide area in a sanctuary for leopards, raising the possibility more than one animal was involved, he said.

Although leopards are protected, Mr Shah said police and troops had been given permission by wildlife authorities to hunt and kill the animal.

Mr Shah said there were believed to be several hundred leopards in the district.

Our Abbottabad Correspondent adds: Another woman was killed on Friday by a leopard in Bakot village, raising to six the number of victims preyed on by the beast.

The latest victim, Amreezam Jan, was mauled by the leopard in the Seri jungle of Bakot union council, 12 kilometres from Nathiagali. Ms Amreezam was on her way to bring food and other items from a nearby shop.

This was the second such incident in Bakot union council in the space of two days.