Nagaon:  A fully grown leopard was killed by the angry villagers at Balijuri village in the Nagaon district of Assam after a three-hour long chase of the predator on July 3. 

In the first incident on that day at 5.30 am, the predator attacked an unsuspecting farmer who was on her way to a nearby field. Somehow, she managed to escape soon after the initial shock.

The news of the attack fast spread across the village and a high alert was sounded. Immediately, a few villagers armed with sticks and spears rushed to the spot to hunt down the animal.

The terrified animal who took shelter in a nearby bush swooped into the crowd leaving again several wounded.

Meanwhile, more villagers gathered on the spot – this time numbering about 50 fully armed, intensified the hunt and could finally kill the animal. Later angry villagers took away eyes, teeth, nail, ear, and tail of the animal.

This is not the lone incident of leopard attack in this village. Several other attacks have been reported in the past.

The Swang Reserve Forest part of the Burapahar Hill Range is close to this village and predators like leopards often cross over to this village for cattle lifting.

“Officials at the local forest beat office at Chapanola were informed about the incident but due to communication snags they reached late.” said Shimanta Goswami of Green Guard Nature Club also a member of the Wildlife Rehabilitators Exchange Network Programme (WREN) of the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

“Two more leopards suspected of cattle lifting by the villagers here would receive the same fate unless urgent measures are taken.” said Goswami.

Prajna Paramita Panda, Programme Officer of WTI said, “To find a solution to this WTI is planning to conduct a consultative workshop this year to address the issue with representatives from the forest department, local NGOs and experts.”

Decrease in forest cover, depletion of prey base and the adaptability of the species to live in marginal habitats have been pointed out as the cause for the increase in man-leopard conflict.

WTI in collaboration with the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) has been working through various projects in Assam for rescue and rehabilitation of the distressed and abandoned wild animals. Since 2002, the rescue team in Assam has handled more than 15 cases of leopard displacements including cubs.