Pilibhit: The carcass of a sub-adult leopardess with fractures in spine, ribs, neck and hips was recovered by a forest and wildlife division team from the ‘Bisalpur Rajvaha’ canal in Narayan Ther village under the jurisdiction of Barkhera police station in Pilibhit district on Wednesday morning.An autopsy conducted at Pilibhit range headquarters revealed fractures in the feline’s spine, ribs and neck and hip joints, indicating that the “animal was savagely assaulted with long sticks by humans.”Officials have not ruled out the possibility that the carcass was dumped in the canal after the feline succumbed to her injuries.PTR field director PP Singh told TOI, “Following official protocol, a departmental case in connection with the feline’s death will be registered, and a thorough investigation will be carried out, especially in reference to the multiple fractures borne by the leopardess.”Locals first spotted the carcass stuck in a canal fall in the village, around 9.5 km from the nearest forest stretch of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve (PTR).Divisional forest officer (DFO) Bharat Kumar DK said the leopardess was assessed to be around 18 months old and its canines and claws were intact. The carcass bore no marks of external injuries, though its fur had decomposed in the canal water and separated from the skin. The carcass could be two to three days old, Kumar said.“We have sent multiple viscera samples, including those of lungs, spleen, liver, heart, kidneys, intestines and skin to the Bareilly-based Indian Veterinary Research Institute for testing. The institute will also conduct toxicological tests to determine if the feline was poisoned,” said the DFO.
