BHOPAL: A team from Kuno National Park in Sheopur Madhya Pradesh, tasked with locating a female cheetah, aashawho had moved out of the protected area, was attacked early Friday morning by villagers in Buraheda people who mistook them for cattle rustlers.
The villagers fired at the team and launched a physical attack. Four forest employees were injured by stones and were taken to hospital.
The forest department team had been using a GPS tracker attached to the cheetah’s neck to monitor its movements. During their search, the team passed near the town of Burakheda at night.
The villagers suspected they were cattle rustlers and fired warning shots into the air to scare them off. However, when the team did not leave, the villagers launched a violent attack, including physical assaults and throwing stones.
The attack was reportedly triggered by recent robberies in the town and the presence of thieves in the area. The forest department team, in their search for the cheetah, had driven around the village several times in their vehicle, making the villagers suspicious.
PK Verma, the division’s forestry officer, said a case had been registered at the local police station and urged a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for the attack.
The villagers fired at the team and launched a physical attack. Four forest employees were injured by stones and were taken to hospital.
The forest department team had been using a GPS tracker attached to the cheetah’s neck to monitor its movements. During their search, the team passed near the town of Burakheda at night.
The villagers suspected they were cattle rustlers and fired warning shots into the air to scare them off. However, when the team did not leave, the villagers launched a violent attack, including physical assaults and throwing stones.
The attack was reportedly triggered by recent robberies in the town and the presence of thieves in the area. The forest department team, in their search for the cheetah, had driven around the village several times in their vehicle, making the villagers suspicious.
PK Verma, the division’s forestry officer, said a case had been registered at the local police station and urged a thorough investigation to identify those responsible for the attack.