A leopard was killed by police under the orders of the district magistrate (DM) of Reasi near the revered Shiv Khori temple cave in Jammu province on Sunday hours after the predator attacked and left four persons injured.
Dr. Shahid Iqbal, the DM of Reasi issued orders to control the predator in consultation with Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) to save human lives after the animal left four persons injured in separate attacks on the ridges and valleys of an hilly area bordering Rajouri and Reasi districts on the Jammu side of Pir Panjal mountain range.
The injured - Bashir, Kala, Krishen and Jumma - have been admitted to hospital. On the DM's orders, a police team headed by probationary Dy SP Junaid Hakim shot the leopard dead after midnight.
Leopard is an endangered species under the State and the Central law and the animal can be killed under proper permission from the wildlife authorities or an executive magistrate after it is declared as man-eater.
Last month, a leopard was shot dead by Army in Qazigund area of Kashmir after it attacked a patrol unit and had also attacked some residents previously. Scores of leopards have reportedly moved out of the woods after the recent snowfall in search of food.
The DM of Reasi has asked the wildlife department to depute a team in view of the increasing leopard attacks in Mahore and Ransoo area.
Over a dozen incidents of the leopard attacks have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir in the last three months.
