Leopard tied up by locals at border village in Maharashtra, dies

Forest rangers are conducting a post-mortem of the leopard (Representative Image)  |  Photo Credit: BCCL

Mumbai: Trapped in a house at Maharashtra's Naikwadi Parme, a leopard who was confined by locals died on Thursday. The settlement in question is approximately 15 kilometres from the Maharashtra-Goa border. Reports have suggested that the animal was confined to the house and beaten with sticks and stones which might have led to its death. However, the same is yet to be confirmed.

Residents of Naikwadi Parme claimed that reports of a leopard lurking around the settlement came when the big cat attacked a 70-year-old man identified as Narayan Dhuri. With injuries to his arm and head, Dhuri was rushed to the Goa Medical Colege Hospital where he is currently being treated. 

(A similar instance from Maharashtra)

The leopard then made his way into the house of one Rukmini Vazrekar where it reportedly broke a number of utensils before heading into the residence of one Sudha Naik. Once news of the big cat's presence spread among locals, residents of Naikwadi Parme gathered outside Sudha Naik's house and locked the animal inside. Locals barged into the house in large numbers and tied the big cat with a rope resulting in its death. Samadhan Chawan, deputy conservator of forest told the national daily that the cause of death can only be ascertained after a post-mortem.

Speaking to Times of India, Sarpanch Anand Naik said that this leopard had been attacking locals and domesticated animals despite repeated complaints to forest department officials in Dodamarg forest range. However, irate locals seeking a compensation restrained forest officials when they arrived at the spot to reclaim the leopard's body.

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