BHOPAL: A live wire trap intended to ensnare herbivores has resulted in the deaths of both a poacher and a leopard in the jungles of Shahdol district, Madhya Pradesh. The live wire trap not only killed a male poacher, who was from the particularly vulnerable Baiga tribal group, but also led to the death of a leopard.
The middle-aged man and the leopard were found dead on Wednesday in the Chuhiri-Kodar jungles of the Gohparu forest area, approximately 40 km from Shahdol district headquarters.
“An on-the-spot investigation revealed incriminating evidence suggesting that a live wire trap was set up to catch herbivores, which may have led to the deaths of both the leopard and the poacher. It is likely that the poacher was attempting to capture the herbivore for bush-meat,” a forest department official in Shahdol district told this newspaper.
Sources added that injury marks on the leopard’s body indicated it died after coming into contact with the live wire trap. The final autopsy report for the leopard is still pending.
The body of the suspected poacher has been handed over to the police for an autopsy.
This incident, where both a big cat and a poacher have fallen victim to a live wire trap, appears to be a first in Madhya Pradesh—a state renowned for its tiger, leopard, and cheetah populations.
“We have identified two to three suspects related to the deceased man’s family and will soon question them in connection with the incident,” the forest department official confirmed.
This unusual incident comes six months after three family members were electrocuted by a live wire trap set by poachers to capture wild boar in Sidhi district in February 2024.
In the same month, a junior commando from the anti-Maoist special Greyhounds force died after reportedly coming into contact with a live wire trap allegedly set by poachers in the dense forests of Telangana district.
Injury marks
Sources added that injury marks on the leopard’s body indicated it died after coming into contact with the live wire trap. The final autopsy report for the leopard is still pending. The body of the suspected poacher has been handed over to the police for an autopsy. This incident appears to be a first in Madhya Pradesh.