Gondia, Sep 30 (PTI) The forest department has set up trap cameras and cages in Maharashtra’s Gondia city after leopard pugmarks were found in a residential area, officials said on Wednesday.
Assistant Conservator of Forests Vijay Dhande said residents of the Gaurinagar locality have claimed to have seen a leopard.
A rescue team has been deployed, while trap cameras and two cages have been installed to capture the big cat, he said. Pugmarks and other signs have pointed to the movement of a big cat, he said.
The forest department has appealed to the public not to venture alone in late hours and urged them to keep children indoors.
A couple of years ago, a tiger had strayed near the collector’s office. Recently, a sloth bear was found in a residential
area in the city, said officials.
Meanwhile, a team from the Nagpur division of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has arrested two persons from Sadak Arjuni tehsil of Gondia district after recovering a leopard skin from them, officials said.
The duo has been identified as Dhanraj Ramlal Uikey (38) and Neelkanth Ramchandra Pandre (35). Officials said the two were trying to sell the leopard skin.
A court has remanded the two in the custody of the forest department till October 6, officials said, adding that a probe was underway. PTI COR NR
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