Encroachers kill leopard in Guwahati, steal its canine teeth; 7 nabbed by police so far

In yet another horrific incident of man-animal conflict, a leopard has been brutally killed and paraded by encroachers in Katahbari area of Guwahati. Officials of the forest department have confirmed that the leopard was not a stray and in fact, those living in the area have encroached the Fatasil Reserve Forest.

Leopard managed to escape initially

As per the reports, on Saturday evening the forest department got to know that people living in the Fatasil Reserve Forest area of the city have laid a trap to catch a leopard. The forest department immediately sent a team to the spot to take stock of the situation.

Later, on Sunday, a team of the forest department went to the spot to tranquillize the leopard. One shot of tranquillizer was fired on the leopard, but due to its strong immune, it gained back its sense quickly and managed to escape to a nearby locality.

When the leopard went to another locality, the people living there got hold of the weak leopard and killed it brutally, before stealing its teeth. The mob also paraded the animal through the locality, as some madly rejoiced. 

The forest department immediately swung into action and filed an FIR with the Garchuk Police Station. The police so far nabbed seven persons in this connection and still hunt is on to nab a few others.

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Speaking to Republic Media Network, Forest Minister of Assam Parimal Suklabaidya made it very clear that it was the people who invited the conflict and not the leopard. He said, "It's very unfortunate. The leopard couldn't be saved as it went to another locality where our team was not present. We have registered a case under the Wildlife Act and action will be taken."

This is not the first instance that leopards have been killed in a brutal manner in the State. Earlier also in a tea garden, another leopard was brutally killed and skinned.

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(Image credits: PTI)