Hyderabad, July 14 (Maxim News): The Nizamabad leopard death investigation has gathered pace after forest officials uncovered fresh evidence linking suspected poachers to the deaths of two leopards in Dharpally and Bheemgal mandals.
Investigators are probing allegations that one leopard was caught in an illegal hunting trap, killed, and its body dumped in a deserted well after its claws, teeth, and skin were removed. The investigation remains underway, and officials have not yet released the final findings.
Forest officials began an intensive inquiry after a leopard carcass was recovered from an abandoned well in Dharpally mandal.
The case gained momentum during the investigation into another leopard death reported under the Kamareddy Forest Range, prompting authorities to examine possible links between the two incidents.
Preliminary findings suggest that suspected hunters had set traps to capture wild animals in the Ramadugu forest area.
A leopard and a wild boar reportedly became trapped in one of the snares. Investigators suspect the leopard was killed, while its claws, teeth, and skin were removed before the carcass was dumped in a deserted well.
Officials are also examining claims that the animal’s skin was discarded in another abandoned well nearly two kilometres away.
Nizamabad Leopard Death Investigation Expands After Suspects Detained
According to sources, forest officials have detained three suspects from Dharpally in connection with the case. Another suspect, believed to be from Ramareddy, is reportedly absconding.
Authorities are continuing efforts to trace the individual and determine the full sequence of events.
Investigators also suspect that the wild boar caught in the trap was sold after the incident. Officials are examining whether the case is part of a wider illegal wildlife hunting network operating in the region.
The Nizamabad leopard death investigation has also raised concerns over delayed detection.
Sources indicated that nearly three months had passed since the alleged killing before officials uncovered the case. The discovery followed an ongoing inquiry into another leopard death in the Kamareddy Forest Range, prompting a broader investigation into illegal hunting activities across nearby forest areas.
Forest officials, accompanied by trained sniffer dogs, conducted a field inspection to reconstruct the incident. The team visited locations where the leopard was allegedly trapped, killed, and later disposed of.
Officials marked abandoned wells and other sites with identification ribbons as part of the forensic examination.
Authorities have not officially confirmed all details emerging from the investigation. Indalvai Range Officer Ravi Mahesh Batt said the inquiry is continuing and that complete information will be released only after the investigation concludes.
The case has renewed concerns about illegal wildlife hunting in parts of Nizamabad district, where protected animals such as wild boars, deer, hares, and other wildlife are reportedly targeted using traps.
Wildlife experts have repeatedly stressed that protecting natural habitats and strengthening enforcement are essential to conserving vulnerable species and preventing wildlife crime. (Maxim News)
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