By: Naveed- Ul- Haq
Budgam: Eleven days after Ompora incident in which a leopard mauled a 4-year-old girl to death, search operation by the wildlife officials continued at various hotspots of the area to eliminate the man-eater animal.
Officials said that the leopard was earlier spotted by locals and security forces inside the Deputy Commissioner’s office premises but wildlife officials have not received any information about the presence of the leopard in the area since then.
“Search operation is continuing from the last eleven days and staff has been deployed at every hotspot to eliminate this man-eater leopard,” an official said.
“We deputed teams at hotspots like Rangreth, DC complex, Ichgam, Khanpora, Qazibagh and Gudsathoo to either catch or kill the animal. Infact authorities have started the cleaning process of nursery at DC complex but couldn’t find the leopard again,” an official said.
Officials said teams are placed around 10 kilometres from the place of incident and have placed around 15 cages, cable traps, in Ompora nursery and nearby locality besides have placed at least 20 shooters at vulnerable spots to kill the leopard.
“We have also placed camera traps to record the movement of the leopard, however haven’t located the leopard from the day it was spotted at DC complex late Tuesday evening,” an official said.
Meanwhile, District Forest Officer (DFO) Budgam said that the work is going on a war footing basis on the 160 kanal of the nursery and 40 percent of the fallen trees were removed from the nursery while 30 percent of thinning and branch cutting has also been completed.
He said that the forest department is making a DPR which they will complete in two days and sent to the government to release funds for fencing of the nursery.
“The officials are working round the clock. Manpower of forest protest force, wildlife, SDRF and forest department are on job to eliminate or catch the leopard,” he said.
He said that area is being properly santised by the officials, to prevent any untoward incident in the future.
Earlier on June 3, four-year-old girl was mauled to death by the leopard after she was taken away by the man-eater from her home in Ompora Housing Colony in Budgam. (KNO)
