“Forest officials don’t hate animals”: SC on Raj order to kill man-eater leopard
The court was hearing a petition filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey who challenged the shoot-at-sight order issued by the state authorities on October 1
The Supreme Court on Thursday said forest officials don’t hate animals while hearing a petition challenging the order by the Rajasthan government to shoot man-eating leopard on sight.
The development comes at a time when the Rajasthan government has hired an expert shooter to kill the man-eating leopard.
A bench headed by justice Bhushan R Gavai said, “The order also provides that an attempt should be first made to tranquilise and trap. Don’t think forest officials hate these animals. They love them and are not anti-animals.”
The court was hearing a petition filed by wildlife activist Ajay Dubey who challenged the shoot-at-sight order issued by the state authorities on October 1.
The bench, also comprising justices PK Mishra and KV Viswanathan permitted the petitioner to approach the Rajasthan high court.
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Advocate Siddharth R Gupta appearing for Dubey said that he apprehended danger to the leopard’s life as there are several leopards which have been trapped without identifying the killer leopard.
He said that following the shoot-at-sight order issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden (CWW), sharp shooters have been called in from Hyderabad who are surveying the area with an intention to kill.
He said that the order issued by the authorities violates the standard operating procedure (SOP) issued by the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) to deal with such situations. It said that killing should be the last resort, Gupta added.
He further submitted that this SOP was considered by the Bombay high court when a similar instance arose where the authorites were tracking down a man-eater tiger.
“If Bombay high court can do it, why not the Rajasthan high court. Why don’t you go to the high court. You can get relief there,” the bench said, granting liberty for the petitioner to approach the high court.
The order of October 1 was issued following reported incidents of leopards attacking humans between September 18 and 30.
The attacks were reported from areas of Gram Panchayat Chhali, Bagdunda, Majavad, and Madar. The six cases resulted in death of humans.
The order issued by the CWW said, “Exercising the powers granted under Section 11, sub-section 1A of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, permission is hereby granted to kill the man-eating leopard with the cooperation of district administration and district police, subject to the following conditions that first an attempt must be made to tranquilize or trap the leopard.”
The decision was taken after forming a committee which recommended passing of such an order.
The NTCA SOP referred by the petitioner was brought out in January 2013 for dealing with such emergencies involving procedures to be followed for the immobilisation, neutralisation of tigers and leopards after they become maneaters and stray into human territories.
The petition filed by advocate Mrigank Prabhakar said, “Without following the SOP, shoot at sight orders are being issued, with local police being employed in the whole forest circle, for firing bullets and sharp shooters being called from Hyderabad. The said process is underway and if not checked in time, will lead to the death of many leopards as the culprit one, who is the man-eater, has not been identified.”