1 more killed by leopard, villagers protest

This is the second leopard-related death in the village in the last one month. The angry villagers first staged a chakka jam and then attacked five vehicles of top forest officials who reached the village after a few hours. The officials, including Conservator of Forest Mahip Gupta, Divisional Forest Officer Rama Rao, Range Forest Officer V M More and two beat guards, were locked up by the villagers in the gram panchayat building.

With the situation taking a serious turn, police forces were called in from Chandrapur. The villagers finally freed the forest officials and allowed Abaji8217;s body to be taken for post-mortem.

8220;The leopard has killed two people, injured three and eaten about 10 goats, 20 dogs and a lot of hens. This has been going on for more than a month, and the forest department has done little,8221; said a villager, Ramu Raspalle.