The Hindu : National : Leopards on the prowl near Line of Control

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Aug 21, 2006

National

National

Leopards on the prowl near Line of Control

Luv Puri

Jhangar: A different type of terror emanating from Pakistan occupied Kashmir has gripped this belt situated near the Line of Control. It is not due to a group of militants but man-eating leopards.

A leap of leopards from PoK had been on the prowl for some months and causing heavy causalties.

Four civilians had been killed in this area alone in the last nine months and over 20 people injured, most of them children. A few days agoMohammad Farooq (5) and his sister Yasmeena Bano (4) were attacked by a leopard. While Mohammad was killed Yasmeena was injured seriously. Fifty domestic animals, including sheep, goats and cows, had been killed so far and this had caused economic hardship to the poverty-stricken belt. "It is becoming tough for the people of my area to freely roam around. We are particularly worried about the security of our children," said Charan Singh, the village head.

Wildlife experts attribute the surfacing of the leopards in the belt due to the earthquake, which devastated the hilly belt of PoK on October 8, 2005 and caused destruction to the natural habitats of the wild animals.

According to experts, the leopards since then had started moving down to the low altitude areas. They usually end up crossing the LoC. As hunting of leopards is legally not permissible, the administration could do little to provide relief to the local people.

However, relief has finally come in. Superintendent of Police Mubassir Latifi has said that the Chief Wild Officer has been given the right to catch or kill the animal.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

National