Leopard gunned down in Udalguri

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

KALAIGAON, Feb 23: A leopard was gunned down in Kalbari under Harishinga police station in Udalguri by unknown miscreants on Wednesday. Around 11 people were also injured by the leopard in this village.

According to forest officials, the full-grown leopard had taken refuge in the woods in the village on Tuesday night. Seeing the leopard at around 11.30 am on Wednesday, villagers tried to chase it and in the process, 11 people were injured. The news spread like wildfire and thousands of people assembled at the site to chase it.

Sadha Hojai, DC of Udalguri, talked to PCCF (Wildlife), Assam to depute WTI rescue team from Mas tiol Park. In the meantime, police and forest personnel tried to pacify the irate people not to kill the animal. ABSU Udalguri also requested people to keep away from the animal. But defying appeals to refrain from disturbing the leopard, hundreds of irate people went into the woods to chase the helpless animal, even breaking one of its teeth. DN Hazarika, ADC of Udalguri, arrived at the spot in the evening to convince people to allow it to escape or to be captured alive by the expert team. But the people ignored his request. After that, the leopard was gunned down in the night by some miscreants. Wildlife organizations have condemned the leopard’s killing and demanded special investigation.