Leopard Electrocuted And Burnt In Telangana Shows How Low Humans Can Stoop For Personal Gains

Despite numerous attempts by the government, pro-environment groups and civil society to spread awareness about animal rights and man-animal conflicts to counter cruelty towards animals, every now and then we come across instances that shame humanity.

It wasn¡¯t long ago that a pregnant cat was hung to death in front of a house in Thiruvanathapuram, following which a case was registered. Several animal rights activists had alleged that members of a local club had the previous day killed the cat, by hanging it, for fun. They did so after consuming liquor.

As the incident was reported by the media, people expressed their outrage and many were shocked at the brutality of the incident. But barely a month down the line and we have another shameful incident that stands to remind us of the lows we stoop to, often for our selfish gains, or for monetary gains.

Five people have now been arrested for allegedly killing a leopard by electrocution and later burning its carcass in Adilabad district in Telangana.

After obtaining reliable information, the officials apprehended one person for possessing claws of the leopard.

Upon interrogation, he confessed to having laid the electrical wire with the help of six other people to poach wild animals in a sorghum field. The accused had laid the electrical wire at night and found one electrocuted leopard.

For fear of getting caught, the accused burned the wild animal's carcass after removing the claws and a tooth. A case has now been registered and five of the accused have been arrested. A hunt has been launched to nab two others who are reportedly absconding.

India has been fighting to protect its endangered animals for several decades, but despite strict laws to protect animals, the country has witnessed multiple cases of poaching and animal deaths in recent past.

In the case of leopards, India recorded 331, 339, 440, 431 and 460 deaths between 2014 and 2018. In the year 2018, there was a record 460 leopard deaths in India, which places it at the highest recorded leopard deaths during the same period throughout the world.

It is no secret that the entire world, including India, bats for wildlife protection programmes but we should all ask ourselves if we are doing enough.

Growing conflicts and accidents are among the major causes of leopard deaths in India. Poaching, human-animal conflicts and road accidents have also led to a rapid increase in the destruction of wildlife habitats.