5 arrested for electrocuting leopard in Telangana

Five people were on Wednesday arrested for allegedly killing a leopard by electrocution and later burning its carcass in Adilabad district in Telangana, forest officials said.

On reliable information, the officials went to Umarda B Village of Bazarhatnoor Mandal in Telangana district on Tuesday and apprehended one person for possessing claws of the leopard.

Upon interrogation, he confessed to have laid the electrical wire with the help of six other people to poach wild animals in a sorghum field, a senior forest official said.

The accused had laid the electrical wire at night and found one electrocuted leopard in the early hours of Tuesday, the official said.

For fear of getting caught, the accused burned the wild animal's carcass after removing the claws and a tooth, he said.

A case has been registered and five of the accused were arrested. A hunt has been launched to nab two others who are reportedly absconding, the official added.