2 detained after poachers electrocute leopard in Madhya Pradesh

India

oi-Vicky Nanjappa

New
Delhi,
Aug
06:
A
leopard
was
electrocuted
after
coming
in
contact
with
a
live-wire
trap
allegedly
set
up
by
poachers
in
a
forest
area
of
Shahdol
district
in
Madhya
Pradesh,
and
two
persons
have
been
detained
in
this
connection,
an
official
said
on
Saturday,
according
to
news
agency
PTI.

The
full-grown
leopard
was
found
dead
in
the
bushes
in
Kharpa
beat
of
Beohari
forest
range
on
Friday,
Divisional
Forest
Officer
(North)
Gaurav
Choudhary
told
PTI.

On
being
alerted,
a
dog
squad
from
Sanjay
Tiger
Reserve
was
roped
in
to
find
the
clues,
and
the
initial
probe
suggested
that
the
big
cat
died
after
stepping
onto
the
electric
wire
trap
laid
by
poachers
possibly
for
some
other
animals,
he
said.

The
poachers
later
dumped
the
carcass
of
the
leopard
in
the
nearby
bushes,
Mr
Choudhary
said.

Viral
video:
Leopard
caught
entering
residential
area
in
Aarey
Colony

“We
have
detained
two
persons
in
this
connection
and
they
are
being
questioned,”
he
said,
adding
that
the
feline
could
have
been
around
seven
years
old,
and
it
appears
that
it
died
two-three
days
ago.

Madhya
Pradesh
is
the
home
to
the
largest
number
of
leopards
and
tigers
in
the
country.