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| Forest officials carry the body of a leopard for postmortem in Bhubaneswar. (PTI) |
Bhubaneswar; Jan. 14: The preliminary inquiry report of city divisional forest officer (DFO), Jayant Das, was submitted to the principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife), P.N.Padhi today who had ordered an inquiry of the incident.
The report claimed that the leopard killed at Gandarpur on the outskirts of the city on Thursday was done in the most gruesome manner with the villagers blocking all his escape routes.
Sources said that the report described in detail how the beast was surrounded by lathis and iron rod-wielding villagers who attacked him from all sides.
Two persons had also been injured after being attacked by the leopard.
The injured had been admitted to the Capital Hospital. The condition of the victims is said to be improving.
Das said that the forest ranger of the area had registered an ‘undetected’ case in connection with the incident.
“If we come across definite proof about the involvement of individuals we would take action against them,” the DFO added.
The official who assured that he would try to conclude his inquiry as soon as possible so that guilty could be punished, said that the ‘undetected’ case was filed since it was not clear as to who had killed the animal.
“After recording the statements of the locals and observing the video clippings, we will try to fix the guilt,” he added.The forest department officials today scoured the Khairapada area near the Gandarpur village following strong rumours that another leopard had been spotted by the people there.
“But neither our officials nor the policemen accompanying them could locate any leopard,” he said. Forest officials had conducted a similar search in and around the Nuapatna village but failed to find even the pugmarks of any leopard.
Officials said since leopard was Schedule I animal those responsible for its inhuman killing would be punished under section 51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972.
While section 9 of the Act describes killing or hunting a protected animal as a punishable crime, section 51 of the law says that the guilty could draw jail term up to a maximum of seven years and a fine of Rs 25,000. Efforts are also being made to ascertain as to where do the animal come.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110115/jsp/orissa/story_13443034.jsp
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