Goa: Forest, Town and Country Planning minister Vishwajit Rane initiates probe into death of leopard on rail tracks

CANACONA/PANAJI: After the recent incident where a leopard aged between four and five years was found dead on the railway tracks at Padi-Quepem on Thursday, minister for forests Vishwajit Rane has ordered an investigation into the incident.
“Really sad to hear about the tragic incident of a leopard being hit by a train. I’ve asked the additional principal chief conservator of forests to look into the situation and investigate the matter. The site has been secured, a team of veterinarians has been dispatched and a post-mortem investigation is ongoing. Following that, cremation will take place,” the minister said, following the incident.
Rane said that a mechanism needs to be worked out so that such incidents are not repeated.
“We need to work out a mechanism to prevent such incidents in the future,” the minister said.
Forest officials received information around 7.30am on Thursday that the carcass of a leopard was lying on the railway track near the forest at Padi in Quepem. The officials confirmed that the death occurred after the leopard was hit by a train.
Such incidents are not uncommon.
In October last year, a three-year-old female leopard was found to have died after it was hit by a train near Collem at Pokarmol-Kalem in Dharbandora taluka.
The wild animals are believed to have died while trying to cross the tracks.