Injured leopard brought from AJK dies during surgery in capital

ISLAMABAD – An injured common leopard that was brought to Islamabad from Neelum Valley with multiple bullet injuries died during a surgery last night, informed sources on Sunday.

Azad and Jammu Kashmir (AJK) police, meanwhile, have arrested a shooter along with weapon for his involvement in injuring the leopard which was found in a paralysed condition at the bank of Neelum River in Nowsada area, they added.

First Information Report (FIR) has also been registered against the accused, informed AJK police Chief Dr Sohail Habib Tajik while talking to The Nation.

According to sources, a female common leopard was found by locals along with bank of Neelum River at Nowsada area on Saturday last. They said the locals alerted the Wild Life Department about the presence of a leopard between stones and water. Upon information, the WLD officials rushed to the scene and rescued the injured leopard which was unable to move.

“The WLD officials transported the injured leopard to Muzaffarabad from where the doctors referred it to Islamabad while keeping in view some serious injuries including one in spinal cord that made her paralysed,” said sources.

The Wild Life Department Islamabad officials shifted the leopard in a private lab where the paramedics carried out its X-ray.

It was disclosed in the X-ray reports that female leopard suffered 5 to 6 bullet injuries in different parts of body. “The most lethal and fatal injury was in spinal cord that took her life,” said sources.

Rina Saeed, Chairperson of Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, told media that the leopard took her last breath during an operation being carried out to save her life. She added the X-ray and operation was carried out in a private lab. “We will issue autopsy report of leopard today (Monday),” she said.

Meanwhile, Inspector General of Police (IGP) AJK Dr Sohail Habib Tajik, when contacted, informed that police had registered a case against the shooter on complaint of WLD Kashmir and also arrested the accused along with weapon. 

Article source: https://nation.com.pk/24-Jan-2022/injured-leopard-brought-from-ajk-dies-during-surgery-in-capital