A leopard, which had killed an 8-year-old girl, was burnt alive by the angry villagers after it was captured by forest officials in Surat district.
The Gujarat Forest Department has set up an inquiry panel to probe the gruesome incident that occurred on Thursday at Vadi village in Umarpada tehsil.
The leopard was captured in a trap set by the forest officials late on Wednesday night. The villagers set the animal on fire inside the cage the next day, said an official.
“Investigation has revealed that some villagers who were angry over the death of a girl threatened forest officials who were guarding the cage, and asked them to leave. Then they set the leopard ablaze,” said deputy conservator of forest J.H. Rathod. A case has been registered and a inquiry panel comprising of senior forest officials will submit its report on the incident in 15 days, Mr. Rathod said.— PTI