Guwahati: A distressing discovery unfolded in Tinsukia district of upper Assam as the carcass of a young female leopard was found on a railway track on Sunday. Prompt action was taken by wildlife officials who suspect a hit-and-run incident, possibly involving a speeding vehicle along National Highway 37.
Responding to public information, officials from the Saikhowa Forest Range reached the scene at Talap. The preliminary assessment indicates a potential collision with an unidentified vehicle while the leopard crossed the road. To determine the cause of death definitively, the leopard’s body is being sent for autopsy at Tinsukia Veterinary Hospital.
The incident falls within the jurisdiction of the Doomdooma Forest Division. Wildlife workers have voiced profound concerns over the tragedy, emphasizing the need to address deforestation issues.
Devajit Moran, Secretary of the Green Bud Society, expressed distress, saying, “Save the forest to save animals. Wild animals are increasingly facing deadly consequences due to deforestation. The Forest and Environment minister must prioritize this issue.”
Tinsukia, located 500 kilometers east of Guwahati, hosts the headquarters of the Doomdooma Forest Division, situated 24 kilometers from Tinsukia. The region has witnessed adverse effects on wildlife, attributed to illegal encroachments, activities of illegal timber mafias, deforestation, and various hidden factors over the past few decades.
