R B Jagadish
Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala (EP)
Karkala, Jan 1: The forest officials were allegedly preparing to release a captured leopard near the inhabited village of Mala, when locals formed a human fort and forced the officials to take it to Pilikula Wildlife Sanctuary.
The incident occurred near Kadari bridge in Karkala. This is not new to the villagers in Mala. They allege that forest officials have been leaving wild animals caught by them in various places in and around Mala, near human habitats, on the pretext of leaving it in the forest. The forest officials have been ignoring their protests, the locals claim.
However, on Wednesday December 31, the officials had to bow before the villagers. They were made to accept their fault and turn their vehicle with the leopard towards Pilikula.
The leopard was caught in a trap in Venur forest area covering Naravi-Hosmar on Tuesday December 30. The caged leopard was being transported in a jeep to the SK border area via Bajagoli road.
The villagers who came to know about this had gathered near Kadari forest checkpost. The checkpost officials who saw this, immediately opened the gates as the vehicle transporting the leopard approached them. The youth, angered by this, followed the vehicle on their bikes. The jeep moved towards SK border, then turned around.
The villagers waylaid the vehicle at Kadari bridge and protested. As the situation was going out of control, the forest officials tried to pacify the villagers. They gave evasive replies that they were about to leave the leopard at Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary.
The villagers questioned them and said they will not permit the jeep to pass through Kadari bridge. This complicated the situation and caused chaos for nearly half an hour.
The captured leopard was then taken to Pilikula Nisargadhama. "Why does the department have allergy towards human habitats," asked Harischandra Tendulkar, leader of protesters committee against Kasturirangan report.
"Mala village area is full of natural beauty. The government is playing with the lives of people there introducing one project after another. The villagers had actively participated in the protest against Kasturirangan report. Now, the forest department wants to release leopards here," he said.
Veereshwara Joshi, a farmer, urged action against the forest officials.