Forest officials rescue leopard after 11-hr operation in Pathankot village

Dhar (Pathankot), October 24

Officials of two forest divisions — Pathankot and Phillaur — managed to rescue an 8-feet long grown-up leopard after an 11-hour-long operation in Dorang Koti village of the Dhar block.

Ironically, the wildcat got trapped in that very wire meshing that had been set up by farmers to keep animals away. On Saturday noon, Pathankot Divisional Wildlife Officer Rajesh Mahajan received a message from locals claiming to have spotted a “well-built” leopard 200 meters from a cluster of villages. The DFO immediately informed Deputy Commissioner Sanyam Aggarwal. Minutes later, officials of the Phillaur division, carrying cages, a tranquilizing gun, darts, a laser rangefinder, nets, cameras and searchlights were on their way to Dhar.

The 12-member team, led by Mahajan and Phillaur Range Officer Jaswant Singh, managed to locate the animal which had moved from the original place where it was first sighted. — TNS