BERHAMPUR: A seriously injured leopard (kalarapataria) that was rescued from the North Ghumusur forest division in Ganjam district died on Wednesday. According to sources, forest department personnel had rescued it from the main road connecting Bhanjanagar and Phulbani, near Bankhandi-Mujagarh village. Found in a pool of blood, the leopard is suspected to have been hit by a speedy vehicle in the wee hours on Wednesday.
After receiving information from locals, forest staff along with Bhanjnagar police reached the spot and took the injured animal to the Bhanjnagar veterinary hospital. But it succumbed under treatment.
Later, an expert team from Bhubaneswar reached Bhanjanagar and conducted the autopsy. The carcass of the tiger was buried in Bhanjanagar.
Though the forest officials and vet team denied divulging details about the injuries, the locals alleged that it had a hole in the body besides a crack in the skull. However, DFO, Sudarshan Behera said the matter is being investigated to ascertain the reason for the death.
He also said the forest division has no leopards or tigers and it is suspected that the animal might have trespassed into the Mujaga area from Kalahandi district.
It is pertinent to mention that the forest division has recorded the death of seven elephants including a calf during the last two years, besides a number of wild animals including boar, bear and others.