Uttarakhand HC Questions Legality of Kill Order for Unidentified Man-Eater Big Cat in Bhimtal

The Uttarakhand High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the permission granted by the Forest Department to kill an unidentified man-eater big cat in the vicinity of Bhimtal. The court has ordered the installation of cameras and cages to identify and capture the animal, and has questioned the legality of the kill order.

The Uttarakhand High Court on Thursday took suo motu cognizance of permission granted by the Forest Department to kill an unidentified man-eater big cat in the vicinity of Bhimtal. The order came after the animal killed two people in the area recently, causing panic among the locals.

Court Orders Installation of Cameras and Cages

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the division bench of Justice Sharad Kumar Sharma and Justice Pankaj Purohit held that cameras should be installed to identify the attacking predatory animal and cages should be set up to catch it. They further stated that if all these measures fail, the animal should be tranquilized and sent to a rescue center.

Court Questions Legality of Kill Order

The court raised concerns about the legality of the kill order, questioning how the orders to kill the big cat were passed when its identity was not yet known. The court took suo motu cognizance of the order issued by the Chief Wildlife Warden to kill the big cat that mauled two women to death in Bhimtal.

Wildlife Protection Act Guidelines

The court highlighted the guidelines laid out in Section 11A of the Wildlife Protection Act, which states that certain conditions must be fulfilled before an animal can be killed. These conditions include chasing the animal away from the area, tranquilizing it, and keeping it in a rescue center. The court criticized the Forest Department for directly issuing a kill order without conducting a proper investigation.

Next Hearing Scheduled

The court adjourned the hearing and scheduled the next hearing for December 21. During this time, the court is expected to hear further arguments and examine the actions taken by the Forest Department in relation to the man-eater big cat.