By: Sameer Showkin Lone
Shopian: After Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, the presence of leopard has created panic among the masses in Heff Shirmal village and its adjoining areas in South Kashmir’s Shopian district.
According to the reports, the villagers have spotted two to four leopards in the belt on Tuesday, thus creating panic among the people in the belt.
Soon after the news spread about the movement of leopards in the apple orchards of the area, the teams of Wildlife department have started the search to trap the dangerous wild animal.
The officials of Wildlife department also announced on Masjid loudspeakers about the presence of leopards and have cautioned the locals from going to the fields for farming.
“If you go to apple orchards or other farms, please go at least a group of four people. People should avoid going to fields alone,” a wild life official announced on a Masjid loudspeaker in Heff Shirmal.
The official also shared his contact number and asked people to call in case they spot any movement.
The Wildlife department team has also kept some sheep’s in some orchards as a means of tactic to trap the leopard.
“We are not sure about the number of leopards roaming in the area. But the number is more than two, since we got reports from different spots in the area,” an official told Precious Kashmir.
The official on the loudspeaker also told the locals to stop rearing chicken for a while for large safety reasons. They also appealed people to not let the children move out of houses.
Locals also said that they spotted a leopard in the area last night.
They said that the presence of the leopard had created panic among the residents.
The entry of leopards into residential parts of Kashmir Valley has become a concern over the months. Last week a 4-year old girl was mauled to death by a leopard in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district.