Poisoning of Leopards: State authority lodges case under wildlife protection act

Himachal Pradesh State Wildlife Authority lodged a case under the Wildlife Protection Act after confirmation that three leopards including two cubs and a Leopardess died due to poisoning recently.

Subdivision of Police Officer Rampur, Naresh Sharma informed that after the autopsy report of three carcasses by the state wildlife authority a case has been registered against unknown people under the Wildlife Protection Act. He said that the Autopsy report found that three animals died due to consumption of pesticides.

 Range Officer of the Forest Department has lodged a case at the Rampur Police Station based on a postmortem report of animals. The police registered a case on Tuesday against unknown people and started an investigation. It is worthwhile to note that on March 8, the carcasses of three leopards were found dead in Dansa Panchayat of Rampur in Shimla district. 

SDPO informed that the wildlife official has decided to conduct the autopsy on the complaint of villagers that they saw the cubs writhing in pain before they did.  It has been confirmed their death had occurred due to organophosphorus pesticide.

Rangers said in the complaint made in the police station that  2 cubs who are around 8 months and two and half years old leopardess appeared to be poisoned after consuming the meat of a poisoned dead cow in an apple orchard in Dansa village under the Rampur subdivision.

According to the Forest Department, no wound of any kind was found on the body of the three dead leopards. The packet of the pesticide due to which the death has been confirmed was also found by the Forest Department on the spot.