Rishikesh: A female leopard camping nearby has in its grip the residents of Panchachuli colony in the Ramnagar forest division, who rarely go out in the evening anymore, and when they do, they ensure they drive a car.
The residents were forced to put themselves under curbs after a female leopard entered a sugarcane field nearby with her two cubs about a fortnight ago. The leopardess has been killing street dogs and other small animals almost every day, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Digant Nayak told PTI on Wednesday.
The residents stay indoors most of the time especially after the sunset, venturing out only in their cars and that too, when absolutely necessary, he said.
The field is surrounded by populated areas, while the leopardess and its cubs stay about 100-125 metres from the colony road, Nayak said.
Chief Wildlife Warden Samir Sinha has issued orders to tranquillise and catch the mother but the authorities on the ground have so far found it difficult to execute the order.
According to Nayak, forest officials cannot drive a JCB into the sugarcane field to get close enough to the big cat as its heavy wheels would ruin the crop.
The range of the tranquillisation gun is less than 100 metres, he said, adding, shooting them could also be risky as the leopard and her cubs may run towards the residential quarters in the colony after being shot.
Chief Conservator of Forest Kumaon division Prasanna Kumar Patro said forest officials are camping at the place and have fired several rounds in the air to scare the cats away but they have not budged. Panchachuli colony is adjacent to the forest of Damua Dunga under Fatehpur range of Ramnagar forest division. —PTI
