Jammu:
In Pulwama, people are used to big cats. Villages border forest areas,so creatures from the jungle stroll in and out of their habitat.
That's why it's hard to figure out why the people of Picho tackled aleopard with such brutality. They chased it, throwing sticks and stonesat the leopard, till it ran into a cowshed.
There, tired and injured, it crouched, incapable of putting up a fight.
Experts say the villagers in the area know that barricading the leopardwould have been enough. And then wildlife officials could have takenover.
But for hours, those officials refused to respond to calls. Instead, itwas the police who showed up, armed with AK 47 rifles. And then theyopened fire at the helpless leopard at point-blank range.
Instead, the police came armed with AK-47 rifles, as if dreadedmilitants were holed up - and killed the leopard at point-blank range
''There was a large crowd in the village, which is close to the town.We had no choice but to kill it," defends Kifayat Haider, SpecialSuperintendent of Police, Pulwama
The Wildlife Warden claims the department has no staff in Pulwama whocould help. The police claims it couldn't wait for animal experts toarrive from another part of the state.
And so a leopard that wasn't even fighting in self-defence was shot without a second thought.
That's why it's hard to figure out why the people of Picho tackled aleopard with such brutality. They chased it, throwing sticks and stonesat the leopard, till it ran into a cowshed.
There, tired and injured, it crouched, incapable of putting up a fight.
Experts say the villagers in the area know that barricading the leopardwould have been enough. And then wildlife officials could have takenover.
But for hours, those officials refused to respond to calls. Instead, itwas the police who showed up, armed with AK 47 rifles. And then theyopened fire at the helpless leopard at point-blank range.
Instead, the police came armed with AK-47 rifles, as if dreadedmilitants were holed up - and killed the leopard at point-blank range
''There was a large crowd in the village, which is close to the town.We had no choice but to kill it," defends Kifayat Haider, SpecialSuperintendent of Police, Pulwama
The Wildlife Warden claims the department has no staff in Pulwama whocould help. The police claims it couldn't wait for animal experts toarrive from another part of the state.
And so a leopard that wasn't even fighting in self-defence was shot without a second thought.
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