6-Month-Old Leopard Cub Assaulted By Local Villagers, Dies During Treatment

A six-month-old leopard cub was abused by local villagers in Kolyari village, some 150 km from Nagpur in Gondia district of eastern Vidarbha.

A video showed some unidentified men dragging and dumping the frail cub which ultimately succumbed to its injuries on Tuesday morning at a forest department rescue centre, local media reported.

Shocking. Local villagers abuse a leopard cub that was found in Navegaon-Nagzira tiger reserve corridor. @SMungantiwar @vikaskharage @WCT_India @wti_org_india @CMOMaharashtra @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/OXGyUySADx

¡ª Vijay Pinjarkar (@vijaypTOI) January 7, 2019

The cub was already dehydrated and had sustained more injuries due to the harassment. Reportedly, the cub died during treatment at the Kohmara village. The video drew sharp criticism on social media from animal activists who called for stringent action against the culprits. The men can be seen shouting and dragging the cub by its tail through the field.

¡°The cub succumbed to his injuries on Tuesday,¡± said MR Sheikh, the assistant conservator of forests, HT reported.

On Tuesday, the Sadak Arjuni range forest officer (RFO) Gowardhan Rathore registered a preliminary offence under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 against three and arrested Lokesh Kapgate from Kohali Tola, TOI reported.

Meanwhile, a male cub and a 16-month-old female sub-adult were found in Kolyari village on Monday evening. The sub-adult leopard cub was at a rescue centre and was recuperating, vet Dr NM Khodaskar said.

The other two accused Prakash Puram and Ashish Gondi are still absconding. Reportedly, Kolyari village falls in the buffer zone of Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve corridor.