The making of a "maneater". The Pithoragarh maneater

[prashantsingh]

Spent a couple of weeks in Didihat. A small town 50 kms from Pithoragarh . A remote part of Kumaon close to Nepal.
It was an interesting experience which I would like to share with fellow members.
The "maneater" has been operating for almost 2 years now and has killed and eaten 12 adults till date.
The most famous of hunters Lakhpat Singh Rawat was already busy dealing with a maneater in Bageshwar.
Kr Sanjay Singh (my friend) was occupied with his personal matters .
So it came as a surprise to me when I got a call to hunt the beast.
My application to hunt maneaters in my state had been lying for a few years with the Chief Wildlife Warden of the state.
I grabbed on the opportunity. Postponed all appointments. Annoyed some old patients and packed my bags on my first individual maneater hunt. I had some experience of hunting maneaters with my friend Sanjay Singh previously. But would that experience be enough to gun down a seasoned maneater like this one? I thought.
The monster had killed and eaten 12 men in the past.
This came as a surprise to me.
Normally a leopard first becomes a cattle lifter .It then kills small children. Graguates further to kill ladies and then men.
This maneater was one in the true sense. It only killed and attacked MEN.
After a long 14 hours drive Zaheer and I reached Pithoragarh where we went straight to the DFOs office.
The DFO was out of station but our permit had already been signed and was duly handed over to us by the SDO.
I requested to the SDO to take us to meet the only survivor who was recovering in the District Hospital across the road.
The man was a tall, well built , retd fauji (soldier) who narrated the incidence to us .
He had finished his dinner and gone out to wash his plate when the beast came in from behind and pounced upon him.
By chance the other members of the family and villagers rushed in and the beast left his victim mauled and bleeding.
The scars on his head , neck and stomach were testimony to the gruesome attack.
We were dealing with a dreaded killer. A cold blooded murderer who had no fear of MAN.
The monsoons were here.
The undergrowth thick.
This was the worst time of the year to go after an experienced killer.

[zaheer.bakshi]

http://epaper.amarujala.com/svww_index.php
(page 5)

तेंदुए ने किया एक व्यक्ति का शिकार
शनिवार सुबह झाड़ी के पास मिला क्षतविक्षत शव
डीडीहाट (पिथौरागढ़)। नरभक्षी तेंदुए ने एक और व्यक्ति को मौत के घाट उतार दिया है। चौबाटी के निकट मड़गांव के पैरा तोक निवासी उमेद सिंह देउपा (45) पर तेंदुए ने शुक्रवार की शाम हमला कर दिया। उनकी क्षतविक्षत लाश शनिवार की सुबह एक झाड़ी के पास से बरामद की गई। तेंदुए ने उमेद सिंह का पेट फाड़कर खा दिया था और गर्दन का काफी हिस्सा चबा दिया था। ताजा घटना से पूरे इलाके में भारी दहशत फैल गई है। ठीक एक माह बाद तेंदुए के हमले की दूसरी घटना सामने आने से लोग आक्रोश में हैं।
उमेद सिंह मजदूरी करते थे। शुक्रवार को वह काम के लिए चौबाटी गए थे लेकिन रात में घर नहीं लौटे। लौटते समय उन पर रास्ते में तेंदुए ने हमला कर दिया। रात जब वह घर नहीं पहुंचे तो आज सुबह से गांव और परिवार के लोगों ने उनकी खोजबीन शुरू की। चौबाटी जाने वाले रास्ते में बिरखम के पास एक झाड़ी में उनका क्षत विक्षत शव बरामद हुआ। तेंदुए ने उमेद सिंह का पेट फाड़कर खा डाला था। गर्दन में पंजों के निशान मौजूद थे। वन रेंजर केएस खाती ने बताया कि घटना तेंदुए के हमले से हुई है। राजस्व विभाग की टीम ने शव पोस्टमार्टम के लिए भेजा है। सामाजिक कार्यकर्ता रवींद्र सिंह देउपा ने कहा कि वन विभाग जानबूझकर लोगों को मौत के घाट उतरवा रहा है। उन्होंने बताया कि मृतक के चार छोटे बच्चे हैं। उन्होंने मृतक के परिजनों को मुआवजा और परिवार के एक सदस्य को नौकरी देने की मांग की है। तेंदुए के फिर सक्रिय हो जाने से ऊपरी रामगंगा घाटी के 100 गांवों में लोग फिर से दहशत में आ गए हैं। ब्यूरो
चौबाटी से मड़गांव लौटते समय हुआ हमला
मजदूरी कर परिवार पालता था
.....................................
तेंदुए के हमलों में कब तक मारे जाएंगे लोग
अमर उजाला ब्यूरो
पिथौरागढ़। ऊपरी रामगंगा घाटी के गांवों में तेंदुए का आतंक खत्म करने के लिए वन विभाग ने अब तक कोई पहल नहीं की है। जनवरी 2012 से सक्रिय तेंदुए ने अब तक 12 लोगों को मौत के घाट उतार दिया है। वन विभाग ने थल के निकट साता गांव से 14 जून को एक तेंदुए को पिंजरे में फंसाने में कामयाबी तो हासिल की थी और यह प्रचार किया था कि नरभक्षी तेंदुआ पकड़ा जा चुका है लेकिन उसके बाद दो और घटनाओं ने यह साबित कर दिया है कि नरभक्षी तेंदुआ अभी पकड़ से बाहर है।
क्षेत्र में तेंदुए के हमले की पहली घटना चार जनवरी 2012 को हुई। सिमार निवासी मोहन सिंह बोरा को तेंदुए ने मार दिया था। उसके बाद तो पूरे वर्षभर तेंदुए के हमले की घटनाएं जारी रही। 19 मई 2012 को कांडा निवासी पवन वर्मा, आठ जून 2012 को मालाझूला में नेपाली मजदूर सुखदेव, 16 जून 2012 को रुखानी निवासी टीकाराम, 12 अक्तूबर 2012 को रछतिया निवासी अर्जुन राम, 22 अक्तूबर 2012 को अटलगांव निवासी भवान राम, 27 अक्तूबर 2012 को गैरा निवासी गोपाल गुरंग, 2 नवंबर 2012 को गैरा निवासी तारा सिंह, आठ दिसंबर 2013 को लामाघर निवासी तारादत्त जोशी और सात जून 2014 को भांतड़ निवासी ललित उपाध्याय तेंदुए के शिकार बने। चार जुलाई को बत्यूली गांव के बलवंत सिंह को तेंदुए ने मार दिया था। आज की घटना से पूरे इलाके में फिर दहशत का माहौल है।
वन विभाग ने जनाक्रोश को देखते हुए पिंजरा लगाकर इतिश्री कर दी थी। दस घटनाएं होने के बाद भी वन विभाग तेंदुए को मारने का आदेश प्राप्त नहीं कर पाया है। स्थानीय लोगों का कहना है कि वन विभाग ने पिछले दिनों जिस तेंदुए को पकड़ा था वह आतंक मचाने वाला तेंदुआ नहीं था। वन रेंजर केएस खाती ने बताया कि लगातार बढ़ रही घटनाओं की जानकारी उच्चाधिकारियों को दे दी गई है। जब तक तेंदुए को मारने का आदेश नहीं मिलता तब तक शिकारी तैनात नहीं किए जा सकते।
ढाई साल में 12 लोगों को निवाला बनाया

Leopard killed one more person
Man-eating leopard has killed another person on saturday morning. Umed Singh, a resident of Madgaon near Chaubati Lok Deupa (45), the leopard attacked Friday evening. His maul corpse was recovered from a bush Saturday morning. Umed Singh had his stomach ripped leopard eating and chewing was considerable part of the neck. The latest incident has spread panic in the area is huge. Exactly one month after the second incident of leopard attack in front of the people are resentful. Umed Singh was wages.He went to work at chaubati on Friday, but returned home at night. Returning leopard attacked him on the way. When he did not arrived home the morning, the vilagers & family start exploring the village. His body was found in a bush near a pedestrian track to chaubati. Umed Singh had his stomach ripped. There were claw marks on the neck.Forest ranger told the villager the attack was done by a leapord. The team sent the body for autopsy. Deupa social worker Ravindra Singh said the forest department is deliberately took off killing people. The four minor children of the deceased. Compensation to the families of the deceased and hiring a family member is sought. Leopard frequent activity in upper Ramganga valley has created panic in 100 villages. Attack happened while returning from Madgaon to chaubati.

Leopard attack in four of the first incident occurred in January 2012. Simar Bora resident Mohan Singh was killed by the leopard. After that continued throughout the year incidents of leopard attacks. Kanda resident Pawan Verma on May 19, 2012, to June 2012, eight Nepali workers in Malajula Sukhdev, resident Tikaram wedge on June 16, 2012, to October 12, 2012 Rctia resident Arjun Ram, 22 October 2012 Atalganv resident RAM BHAWAN, 27 October 2012 Gara resident Gopal Gurung, 2nd November 2012 Gara resident Tara Singh, a resident Taradutt Lamagr Joshi and seven to eight December 2013 to June 2014 Leopard Bantd resident Lalit Upadhyay victim. Four of the village on July Btyuli Balwant Singh was killed by the leopard. Today's event is an atmosphere of terror in the area again. Given the public anger cage by forest department had an end. Even after ten events. Forest Department has not received the order to kill. Local resident told the media that the leapord which was caught by forets department was not a maneater. Forest ranger said that unless forest department high official give us permit to kill the maneater we cannot deploy hunters.
Killed 12 people in 2.5 years.



KISHAN SINGH PANU - The last person who was attacked by this leapord and Prasant has mentioned him in his writing above. We met him personally in pithoragarh at district hospital.

[AgentDoubleS]

Absolutely hooked!

[prashantsingh]

One question that bothered me was why the forest dept. Had not dealt with the maneater earlier. Why did they have to wait for 12 human deaths before issuing the permit.
We left Doon at 3 am. It was raining heavily and we were forced to drive slow. At down break we had covered just over a 100 kms.
Braving poor roads and land slides we finally reached Pithoragarh at dusk.

A leopard had been trapped. But the killings continued. Confirming the fact that the maneater was still at large.

[zaheer.bakshi]

Few Pictures to vouch the journey

[zaheer.bakshi]

A very exciting trip.

[prashantsingh]

To compensate for my shortcomings . I requested fellow IFG member Safarigent to join in. I had seen him shoot at the shooting range before and was confident of his abilities as a hunter. He had also some solid hunting experience from Africa and Europe to fall back upon.
Safarigent was in Thailand when I got in touch with him. He promised he would reach Pithoragarh asap. I was happy to see him when he reached the forest rest house Pithoragarh , an hour after us.
Unloading his 375 magnum and 12 bore we had an early dinner and went to sleep.
I was not wrong in judging this young man. He was a true Shikari.
The next morning , our team of 4 would drive another 75 kms to ground zero.
The Maneaters domain.

[herb]

Good luck Prashant, looking forward to hearing more about the hunt. Wishing you a safe & successful hunt.

[Baljit]

Very interesting story like all ways Prashant,Indeed all of us looking forward for more development in this hunt.I wish I can join you .

Good luck Prashant for this Maneaters hunt.

Baljit

[Sakobav]

Nice Prashant hooked now

Cheers

[ckkalyan]

prashantsingh & zaheer.bakshi Good beginning to a great story in the making...

Good Luck!

[xl_target]

Anticipating the rest of the story as usual, Prashant.
God Speed and Good luck to you.

[Hammerhead]

Stay safe Dr. Prashant, bring back good news.

[essdee1972]

All the best Prashantji!

[Safarigent]

As always, you are silken with your words Dr. Prashant.