Leopard scare grips students of Lilabati College in Alipurduar
Darjeeling: Lilabati College in Alipurduar has been gripped by the fear of a leopard after the campus CCTV camera captured a similar animal wandering around the premises of the college.
Locals also claimed of a similar sighting in the college vicinity. Lilabati College is located in Jateshwar at Falakata block around 50 km away from Alipurduar Sadar. On Thursday morning, Hriday Sarkar, an ex-serviceman had gone out for his regular morning walk when he saw the leopard like animal in the vicinity of the college. He immediately informed the college authorities.
"While going through the footages of the CCTV camera, we saw a leopard like animal wandering at the premises. We immediately informed the Forest department," stated Narayan Chandra Vasunia, principal of the college. A team from the Dalgaon range arrived and a through search for more than three hours failed to trace the leopard. In order to drive the animal out in the open, firecrackers were also burst.
"We have seen the CCTV camera footage. The animal could be a wild cat or even a leopard. We have conducted a thorough search. There is no wild animal on the campus" declared Rajib Dey, Range Officer, Dalgaon Range.
Incidentally, the Alipurduar district with large stretches of forest is highly vulnerable to wild animals straying into human habitat.
Leopards usually choose tea bushes in the tea gardens to give birth. On Wednesday, a 5-year-old was killed by a leopard in Dhumchipara Tea Estate in Alipurduar. The infant, Eden Oraon was playing with his elder sister in the front porch of his house located in the tea garden. A leopard suddenly sprang out and dragged Eden into the bushes by his neck.
After half an hour of frantic search, Eden's lifeless body was found from inside the tea bushes. The five-year-old was declared brought dead by the doctors of Madarihaat Primary health Centre.
An ex-gratia of Rs 4 lakh has been announced by Forest minister Binay Krishna Barman. "Recently, incidents of leopards straying into human habitats are becoming very regular in these area," stated Kumar Bimal, DFO, Jaldapara.
