TEAM HERALD
PONDA: A group of boys were proceeding towards a hillock to play cricket on Saturday, when they were startled on spotting a leopard in a cave close to the Suryanarayan temple at Adulshe in Tamshirem-Borim.
According to reports, the boys were climbing atop a hillock to play cricket when they encountered some foul odour in a cave along the pathway. The boys went closer for an inspection and one boy switched on the torchlight of his mobile camera and were shocked to see a leopard in the cave. The startled boys quickly withdrew from the site and alerted the locals in the area.
News that a leopard had been sighted at Adulshe spread like wildfire, as Borim Sarpanch Sanjay Gavde along with panch member Subash Naik, and other locals quickly went to the site of the cave, after reporting the matter to the forest officials.
The locals however, were aggrieved with the forest officials over their response to the situation.
“We had informed the forest officials about the sighting of the leopard at about 3 pm. The forest officials sent one animal rescue squad member to take stock of the situation. Then at about 6.30 pm, the forest officials told us that they could not do anything as it was too late,” said Gavde.
Concerned that the animal could pose a threat to locals in the area, the residents have accused the forest officials of acting in an indifferent manner.
“The forest officials should have made more efforts to trap the leopard as it could pose danger to the locals in the area, many of whom frequent the area,” said a villager.
