UNB, Panchagarh :
A wild leopard was beaten to death by villagers in presence of police and Forest Department officials beside Pathraj river in Doulotpur of Boda upazila on Saturday.
Ismail Hossain, a resident of Bashuniapara village, said his daughter first spotted the leopard near the river in the noon. Eventually, hundreds of people gathered following her screaming.
Being frightened by the gathering, the leopard took shelter in a nearby bush filled with water spinach. But the villagers started hurling stones toward the animal.
Being informed, policemen from nearby the police station along with members of Forest Department rushed in, but the villagers beat the endanger animal mercilessly and killed it, said Gamiruddin and Nur Islam, residences of the same village.
Moynadighi Union Parishad Chairman Md Abdul Jabber said at least four people sustained minor injuries while trying to have a look at the leopard.
Boda Police Station Officer-in-charge Abu Haider Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman said, “Police did not go to the spot for saving the animal, but to protect the villagers from it and the villagers killed the animal when it tried to get out of the bush in the evening.”
Later, police recovered the body and took it to the police station, said the OC.
Boda Upazila Forest Department Officer Anwar Hossain said, “We tried to stop the mob, but failed to save the leopard.”
Meanwhile, the dead leopard was handed over to the forest department, said Boda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Syed Mahmud Hasan.
A wild leopard was beaten to death by villagers in presence of police and Forest Department officials beside Pathraj river in Doulotpur of Boda upazila on Saturday.
Ismail Hossain, a resident of Bashuniapara village, said his daughter first spotted the leopard near the river in the noon. Eventually, hundreds of people gathered following her screaming.
Being frightened by the gathering, the leopard took shelter in a nearby bush filled with water spinach. But the villagers started hurling stones toward the animal.
Being informed, policemen from nearby the police station along with members of Forest Department rushed in, but the villagers beat the endanger animal mercilessly and killed it, said Gamiruddin and Nur Islam, residences of the same village.
Moynadighi Union Parishad Chairman Md Abdul Jabber said at least four people sustained minor injuries while trying to have a look at the leopard.
Boda Police Station Officer-in-charge Abu Haider Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman said, “Police did not go to the spot for saving the animal, but to protect the villagers from it and the villagers killed the animal when it tried to get out of the bush in the evening.”
Later, police recovered the body and took it to the police station, said the OC.
Boda Upazila Forest Department Officer Anwar Hossain said, “We tried to stop the mob, but failed to save the leopard.”
Meanwhile, the dead leopard was handed over to the forest department, said Boda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Syed Mahmud Hasan.
