Jharkhand: Over 50 trap cameras, one drone, 'man-eater' leopard still traceless

The Jharkhand forest department has put over 50 trap cameras one drone and a large number of officials but the maneater leopard which killed four children since December 10 in Palamu division is still traceless an official said on SundayNow the department has roped in Hyderabadbased celebrated hunter Nawab Shafath Ali Khan to control the big cat It is suspected that all four including three in Garhwa and one in Latehar district were killed by the same leopard The victims are in the age group of six and 12 yearsThe leopard has been reigning terror in more than 50 villages in three blocks iquest Ramkanda Ranka and Bhandariya of the district where villagers have been asked by the forest department not to venture out after sunsetAlso read Two killed 6 rescued in Delhi care home fire in Greater KailashIIWe are spending sleepless nights in fear of the leopard Women and children are mostly scared It appears to be a curfewlike situation in the evening said Ravindra Prasad a farmer of Ramkanda blockThe Garhwa forest division had submitted a proposal to state Chief Wildlife Warden on Thursday to declare the big cat as maneater and it has also suggested names of three hunters including Nawab Shafath Ali Khan and former legislator Girinath SinghState chief wildlife warden Sasikar Samanta told PTI There are some official formalities to declare an animal maneater Our first priority is to capture the leopard through tranquilization which is possible only by experts Therefore we have consulted Nawab Shafath Ali Khan to help in our effort He is not only an expert but also equipped with latest equipment to identify and control an animalSamanta who is also Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Wildlife said that Khan is expected to arrive in first week of January If capturing was not possible then we may think of killing the leopard as last option Samanta saidSpeaking to PTI Khan confirmed that he was approached by state forest officials I was told to visit Jharkhand and help in monitoring and tranquilizing the leopard However I am yet to receive any official letter in this regard he saidMore than 50 trap cameras have been put up in possible route of the big cat in and around Kushwaha village where a 12yearold boy was killed by the animal on December 28The trap cameras have captured various animals in the region but leopard has not been traced yet Besides trap cameras we are also using drone cameras but it has also not found any trace of the leopard Garhwa Divisional Forest Officer DFO Shashi Kumar told PTIHe said that they would change the locations of the cameras on Sunday and made another effort to find the trace of it We have also ordered three cages from Meerut which is likely to arrive by Sunday evening he saidOn December 10 the leopard reportedly made its first attack by killing a 12yearold girl in Chipadohar area in the nearby Barwadih block of Latehar district Then sixyearold child was killed in Rodo village in Bhandariya block on December 14 in Garhwa district while another sixyearold girl was killed by the leopard in Sevadih village in Ranka block on December 19 in the same district