Meera Bhardwaj:
In a gory incident on Saturday (August 21, 2026), a snared leopard was completely burnt and charred to cinders in Tumakuru City Range, Tumakuru district, Karnataka. In this regard, the Karnataka Forest Department has arrested three local habitual offenders who are poachers and install baits for sloth bears and wild boars.
The habitual offenders were involved in the bizarre snaring and burning of a young leopard as they had placed snares to bait sloth bears for its game meat but unfortunately for them, a leopard was snared. Forest officials said in and around Tumakuru district, the unfortunate practise of snaring sloth bears and eating its meat is prevalent in these regions.
SLOTH BEAR SNARING FOR ITS MEAT PREVALENT
Severe action will be taken against such people who are installing snares in hilly forested regions of the district to snare sloth bears for game meat. Speaking to Green Minute News, CCF, Hassan Division V Yedukondalu said, “This is a rare and unfortunate practise prevailing in this district where sloth bears are hunted for its meat. We have recovered a lot of snaring equipment in this region. We have also found remains of sloth bears in this area and also found that such groups of poachers are in the habit of sharing bear meat with other offenders.”
The three offenders have been booked for violating various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. It may be recollected, in 2021, six people were arrested for hunting and eating sloth bear meat in one of the offender’s house in Koratagere taluk, Tumakuru district.
LEOPARD BURNING INCIDENT WENT VIRAL
As per range forest officials and forest staff, on August 21, 2026 – local people informed that a leopard was snared and burnt at the Government Gomaala land in Survey No. 14 falling within the Dasarahalli Beat of the Tumakuru City Range, Tumakuru Regional Forest Sub-Division & Tumakuru Regional Division.
Further, visuals of burning of the leopard body was viral on social media. Later, the concerned forest officers of Tumakuru Range, along with forest staff visited the incident spot and conducted an inspection.
Upon inspection by the range forest officials, they found the carcass of an animal being burnt at the location – a fire pit. However, they managed to extinguish the fire but the remains of the leopard body were completely charred beyond recognition.
Two offenders who were arrested – were found at the incident spot – Narayanappa, son of Kumbheeramayya and Ramachandraiah, son of Kumbheeramayya who informed the forest officials that they had burnt a leopard cub. Based on the information provided by the accused Narayanappa – the third offender, Shivakumar (son of Doddayya), too was arrested.
In the aftermath of the examination by a wildlife vet from Bannerghatta National Park , the charred dead animal was identified as a leopard which is a Schedule-I species – receiving the highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Forest officials said the leopard was killed as it was caught in a snare that was installed by these three habitual offenders for snaring a sloth bear. If the foresters had been late even by about 30 minutes, it would not have been possible to identify the charred leopard remains as the burning meat ball would have turned into ashes completely.
INVESTIGATION & INTERROGATION CONTINUES
Activists from Tumakuru district said, “Local people in these parts are known for hunting sloth bears and consuming their meat in these parts of the district. To cover up their snaring operations and poaching activities which is rampant in these regions, the offenders had burnt the body of the leopard as they wanted to hide this fact. Usually, they install big snares in these regions to catch and eat bears but this time, a leopard was snared.”
CCF Yedukondalu added, “We will investigate this issue of sloth bearing snaring and meat consumption thoroughly. We will interoggate other similarly placed people who too are involved in sharing game meat and apprehend them. As it is, snares are being removed by our forest staff which have been installed in and around the hilly regions of Tumakuru district. Further, snaring equipment are being seized.”
NEED FOR STRICT PUNISHMENT, SAY ACTIVISTS
According to a local activist, this is a hilly terrain with lot of bushes in and around and is a perfect habitat for both sloth bears and leopards. ” There are some farm huts where lot of snaring equipment are stored which can be seen in open daylight. It is terrible that such an obnoxious practise of eating sloth bear meat is prevailing in this part of the state.
With this region sustaining a healthy population of sloth bears and leopards, they have become hunting grounds for many poachers in the Tumakuru Range and other ranges in Tumakuru division. Activists add, “One can even see snares installed on Jackfruit trees to catch sloth bears. And even claws of sloth bears have been found in the grounds of this range as patrolling is absolutely minimal in this region. Therefore, activists call for stricter punishment for such habitual offenders and others who are involved in poaching of Schedule-I protected species.”
Now how will the charred remains of the animal help in Identification?
According to wildlife experts, claws, paws, hair follicles, canines and bones are some of the parts through which the identity of a leopard or a tiger can be ascertained. Since the body was completely charred beyond recognition, however, some parts were found which was not fully burnt like the claws (an identifying feature) and a few bones were found in the fire pit that helped in initial identification.
According to activists, a local person who was maybe, part of this offenders’ group, had a tiff with them and informed the forest officials about the burning of the snared leopard body. Further, he was in possession of a picture of the snared leopard.
Hassan Circle CCF adds, “A forensic team has come from Bengaluru to investigate into the matter while all biometric investigation samples have been sent to CCMB, Hyderabad for genetic mapping & analysis and identification.”
A case was registered (WLOR 05/2026-27, dated 21/08/2026) against the accused three persons who not only hunted a Schedule-1 species but also burnt the leopard body. Their offences constituted a series of violations under Sections 39, 50, Sections 2(14), 2(16), 2(35), 2(36), 9 and 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 (Amended 2022), and Section 238 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023.
The accused in the snared leopard and charred case were interrogated on the night of 21/08/2026 in the presence of Pavithra V, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Tumakuru Sub-Division, Tumakuru.
Thereafter, a sniffer dog squad was called for further investigations to the incident spot. Investigation will further continue with witnesses being called out and produced. On 22/08/2026, the statements of the accused were recorded in the presence of ACF.
In the aftermath of obtaining permission of the Judicial Magistrate, the three accused have been sent to the District Jail. Further, investigations and interrogations are in progress.
(PHOTO CREDIT: ALL IMAGES COURTESY KARNATAKA FOREST DEPARTMENT)