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Forest officials urge inclusion of vets in leopard attack victim autopsies
A forest official stated that villagers are aware that they will not receive any compensation if livestock is killed within the reserve forest, as entry is prohibited
MEERUT: Forest officials in Bijnor have suggested that district authorities include a veterinary doctor and wildlife experts in the panel of doctors conducting postmortems on individuals who have succumbed to leopard attacks. Over the past eight months, the district has witnessed frequent leopard attacks resulting in the deaths of 15 individuals, including children and women.
Ramesh Chandra, the conservator of forest in the Moradabad division, disclosed that the divisional forest officer of Bijnor forwarded a letter to the chief medical officer, chief medical surgeon, and other district authorities a few days ago. In this letter, he recommended the inclusion of a veterinary doctor and wildlife experts in the panel of doctors responsible for performing postmortems on victims of leopard attacks.
Chandra emphasised, “It is crucial to determine the precise cause of death, whether it was due to a leopard or another animal.” He explained that a medical practitioner may make errors in drawing conclusions because they lack the expertise to examine the nature of the wounds inflicted. “Only a team comprising a veterinary doctor and a wildlife expert can accurately identify the involved animal by examining the wound characteristics,” he remarked.
However, sources indicate that forest officials are concerned that certain individuals may exploit leopard attacks to settle personal scores with rivals or to seek compensation from the forest department for livestock losses. Recently, a 22-year-old woman’s decapitated body was discovered in the Shahpur Jamal jungle, with a leopard being held responsible. A forest official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, suggested that a property dispute might be behind the incident.
In another case, a farmer disappeared while returning home after finishing work in the fields. Villagers and farmer leaders suspected a leopard attack, leading to tension. The matter was resolved after the farmer was found under a culvert with his hands and feet tied.
In a similar occurrence, livestock was killed within the Amangarh tiger reserve. Villagers removed the carcass from the reserve forest and dumped it in an agricultural field to claim compensation.
A forest official stated that villagers are aware that they will not receive any compensation if livestock is killed within the reserve forest, as entry is prohibited. He further noted that suspicions cannot be openly expressed, as this could lead to controversy and public unrest.
Under such circumstances, the inclusion of a veterinary doctor and a wildlife expert in the panel of doctors performing postmortems could facilitate a more accurate determination of the true cause of death, especially in animal attack cases.
