Leopard killed in Dibrugarh

Leopard killed in Dibrugarh
TNN | Feb 9, 2013, 01.58 AM IST

DIBRUGARH: In yet another incident of man-leopard conflict, a female leopard was brutally killed by villagers at Paschim Deodhai village near Chabua in Dibrugarh district on Friday.

According to sources, the leopard attacked and injured two persons while they were on their way to work in the morning. Alerted by their cries, the villagers rushed to the spot and repeatedly struck the big cat with sticks and sharp weapons till it died of injuries. Some of them even chopped off its tail, paws and nails of the dead animal.

The carcass was later brought to the Dibrugarh range office for post mortem. Locals said the leopard was creating havoc in the area for the last few months. It had killed many livestock and attempts to cage the wild cat had proved to be futile. Around two to three leopards are said to be taking shelter in the forests near the village.

Ranger B Baruah said the forest department, which has initiated an inquiry into the incident, had recorded the statement of some eyewitnesses. Leopards are protected under Schedule 1 of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Of late, instances of man-leopard conflict have been on the rise in Dibrugarh district. With the fast shrinking forest cover, leopards frequently stray into human settlement in search of food, resulting in conflict with humans.

Sad story repeated again and again in many places. We appear to have become numb or dismissive of these incidents as commonplace. Rarely any action is taken if a leopard is lynched to death by people. The forest department expresses its inability to protect and persecute a group of people in the pretext of the incident happening by a "mob". The forest department conveniently places the blame on the police and the police is no where to be scene in such instances.

A mechanism has to be place which triggers implementation of Section 144 whenever a wild animal is located near human habitation. People have to be forcibly dispersed or arrested. Only then the leopard will not panic and can find its way out.