Jaipur: Desperate to find clues in the panther's attempted poaching case in JaisinghpuraKhor, three forest department teams combed through nearly 4,000 hectare forest area on the fringes of the city on Monday.
The search was aimed at finding out if more traps have been set up anywhere throughout the forest cover, stretching from JaisinghpuraKhor to Jagatpura hills. The investigation now hinges on a far-fetched possibility that the members of a poaching gang that was busted in Galta Gate area 14 years ago may be involved in the poaching attempt on Sunday. "We have come to know that a gang had been busted in 2002. The gang members had been found in possession of iron-made traps that looked exactly similar to the one that was used in trapping the 4-year-old female panther in JaisinghpuraKhor on Sunday," said a forest department officer.
The officer said that the officials of the forest department who were deputed at the time of the bust are being contacted and records are being examined for further investigation into this aspect.
The local forest department officials have also alerted their informers in various villages, hoping to get any clues about the poachers.
"The poachers must have fled the area after their attempt was foiled. So we are now looking into the possibility of involvement of known poachers in the area. Apart from that, there are no clues in the case," said the officer.
The forest department launched a combing operation on Monday. "There are at least 20 panthers including six cubs in the Jhalana forest area alone. We are keeping a watch on the places where movement of these panthers are reported frequently," said the officer.Dr Arvind Mathur, veterinary doctor at Jaipur Zoo and who is treating the female panther, said that the animal was responding well to the treatment."We have put in a separate enclosure at the zoo to make her feel stress free. She is under a lot of stress. She ate some meat which is a good sign," said Mathur.The city had on Sunday witnessed the first case of attempted panther poaching in many years. The 4-year-old female panther was spotted writhing in pain trying to break free from an iron-made trap used by professional poachers inside the protected forest area near JaisinghpuraKhor. Thanks to some villagers who informed the forest department and police officials on time, the panther was rescued and taken to Jaipur Zoo for treatment.
