Forest Dept ramps up efforts to catch leopard that killed 3 in Beed

Cabinet minister Dhananjay Munde meets the family of a man killed in the leopard attack in Beed

With three people killed and three injured by a leopard in Beed district of Marathwada, the Maharashtra Forest Department has intensified the operation to capture it.

Over 100 men from the forest department are involved in the operation to catch the leopard. File pic for representation

While multiple FD teams and drone cameras are in search of the leopard, Cabinet Minister Dhananjay Munde, in his recent tweet, had made a controversial statement saying that if the leopard is not caught in three days he will ask the Forest Department to grant permission to shoot it.

Also Read: Mumbai: Pregnant leopard killed in highway accident

Sources from the forest department told mid-day that there has been a lot of pressure from villagers to either trap or shoot the leopard. The Divisional Forest Officer from Beed said, "In the span of one week there have been three deaths and three people were injured in incidents of human-animal conflict in Beed district. The best efforts are being taken to trap the leopard."

A total of 14 cages have been set to trap the leopard and teams from neighbouring districts have also come for the operation. Over 100 men from the forest department are on ground involved in the operation to catch the leopard. The Forest Department has also increased patrolling in the areas where the incidents have taken place and the villagers are being educated about the dos and don'ts.

Munde had tweeted further on the issue stating, "'Further assistance has been sought from Junnar, Aurangabad, Amravati, Nanded and other forest department personnel who are skilled in this work. If he is not caught in three days, we will ask the forest department for permission to shoot him."

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