THE recurring deaths of leopards in the forest area between Dongargarh and Khairagarh have intensified concerns over the performance and accountability of the Forest Department. The latest incident, reported on Friday from the Raniganj area under the Dongargarh forest range, involved the discovery of another deceased leopard. This incident is the latest in a series of continuous leopard deaths in this region, which critics argue point to lax and irresponsible handling by the Forest Department.

 

Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Ayush Jain stated that the leopard had internal injuries and died due to natural causes, a claim substantiated, according to the department,by a post-mortem examination before the animal was cremated. However, the lack of transparent public information regarding the post-mortem and cremation process has cast suspicion on the department’s official statement.

 

The central issue remains why leopards are repeatedly dying in the same Dongargarh-Khairagarh belt. Critics are questioning whether these deaths are mere coincidence or a direct result of weak surveillance, ineffective patrolling, and the department’s failure to take timely preventative action. The seriousness of the issue is compounded by the fact that the Chhattisgarh High Court has already taken suo motu cognizance of suspicious deaths of leopards and other wild animals in the state.

 

In prior instances, including the discovery of a leopard carcass with missing claws and teeth in the nearby Banbod village (between Khairagarh and Dongargarh) just weeks ago, the High Court had sought a comprehensive response from the Forest Department regarding illegal poaching and lapses in wildlife protection. Despite the clear directives from the High Court for transparent and effective investigations, no visible concrete improvement in ground-level wildlife protection has been noted.

 

Wildlife enthusiasts and locals contend that the continuous deaths expose flaws in the entire conservation system, including weak links in patrolling, surveillance, and intelligence gathering. They demand an independent investigation, the public release of the post-mortem report, and strict adherence to the High Court’s orders to prevent the area from becoming further unsafe for wildlife.

 

All eyes are now focused on whether the department will simply dismiss this latest death as “natural” or if it will finally take concrete, accountable action following the recent interventions by the judiciary