Pune : Forest department seizes claw and toe nails of leopard found dead in Vadgaon Shinde area
Pune : Forest department seizes claw and toe nails of leopard found dead in Vadgaon Shinde area
On 9th February (Friday), the Pune Forest Department officials investigated a forest area in Vadgaon Shinde, Taluka Haveli & seized body parts of leopard like 4 nails & 1 claw along with 1 knife & 1 sickle.
As per further information, on 8/2/2024 at 7 pm at a forest area under Pune Forest department in Vadgaon Shinde, Haveli, Pune, while cutting sugarcane in the farm of farmer Navnath Khandve in the evening, sugarcane cutting labourers found a dead leopard. Forest officials rushed to the spot and seized the dead female leopard aged approximately 10 months. On close inspection of the scene, prima facie it was observed that the death of the female leopard was due to the attack of the dogs. Also, 3 nails of the front right leg and the nail of the back right leg of the dead leopard were also found to be missing.
On 9/2/2024, after dissection of the dead leopard, it was found that 3 toenails and a claw of the leopard had been cut with a sharp weapon. Considering the seriousness of the matter, forest officials went to the spot and investigated with the help of dog team. When the sugar cane cutters were inquired about, they initially gave vague answers.
At this time, the forest officials separately questioned the male laborers, children and women and when a minor boy said that with the help of his father and 2 minor boys, he had cut 4 nails of the dead leopard with the help of a knife and a sickle. When all people were thoroughly interrogated, they said that they had committed the crime out of attraction for the purpose of making a neck locket out of a leopard’s nail.
4 leopard nails, 1 foot claw, 1 knife & 1 sickle used in the crime have been seized from the accused. The accused Kantilal Chandersingh Sonwane and 3 children have been taken into custody and a case has been registered.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of NR Praveen, Chief Conservator of Forest Pune and under the leadership of Mahadev Mohite, Deputy Conservator of Forests Pune by Ashutosh Shendge, Suresh Varak, Seema Magar, Anil Rathod and rescue organization’s Tuhin Satarkar, Kiran Rahalkar, Wildlife Detection Dog Khandu, Dr Chetan Vanjari, Amit Todkar, Naresh Chandak, Srinath Chavan, Eknath Mandal.
Shreyas Vange
