Meera Bhardwaj:
In a shocking incident, a young female leopard was killed in a meat bomb blast on August 14th at Arsikere, Hassan district, Karnataka, India.
The crude bomb blast material was hidden by poachers inside a chicken and an unknowing female leopard that came out of a nearby reserve forest was badly injured when ingesting the chicken. Later, it died despite treatment being provided in both Hassan and surgical intervention in Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru.
In the last 10 months, Karnataka has lost almost 35 leopards including seven cubs due to varied reasons.
Usually, country made crude blast materials are camouflaged inside fruits, tender coconuts, chickens and other food materials by poachers to kill “wild boars” or other wildlife. Wild boars are opportunistic animals and they eat both plants and animals as they are ombivorous animals.
In many incidents of revenge killings, bombs and poison are also used by hiding or mixing it with meat to kill tigers or leopards in India. Therefore, incidents of death of elephants, sloth bears and leopards have been reported across the country as they fall prey to the crude bombs cleverly hidden inside meat or fruits.
In fact, blast materials are kept as a bait to lure wildlife like wild boars by poachers as it happened in this leopard meat bomb blast through the strong smell emanating from chicken, said CCF, Hassan Circle, V Yedukondalu.
It was on 14.08.2026, information was received from Arsikere range field staff of an injured, immobile female leopard aged about 2-3 years. The young female leopard was found sheltering in the bushes of Survey No. 61 (government land) at Doddenahalli village, Arsikere taluk, Hassan district.
As per Range Forest Officer’s report to the Saurab, DCF Hassan division, the initial assessments indicated injuries were caused by the consumption of a “meat bomb” (a country-made explosive trap). Following the NTCA’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and requisite sanctions from the Chief Wildlife Warden, a rescue operation was immediately initiated.
A veterinary team consisting of a local veterinarian and Dr Vinayak, Wildlife Veterinarian from the Bhadra Tiger Reserve was requisitioned to the incident spot. The veterinary team successfully darted the injured leopard and sedated it.
A detailed physical examination of the injured big cat revealed severe trauma in the mouth and jaw.
The RFO’s report stated, “Extensive injuries to the oral cavity and lower jaw severely fractured, disoriented, and structurally compromised due to the explosive blast. Given the critical nature of the injuries, senior forests officials were consulted.”
As per directives from senior forest officials of the Karnataka Forest Department, the injured leopard was approved for transfer to a specialized facility at Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru. The leopard was securely shifted on August 15, 2026 to the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru, for emergency surgical intervention.
The veterinary surgical team at the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre operated on the leopard to reconstruct the jaw and treat the wounds. However, despite all life-saving efforts, the leopard succumbed post-operation and was declared dead on August 16th.
Reacting to the incident, activists in Hassan and Bengaluru questioned the necessity for shifting the leopard to Bengaluru as the leopard was badly injured and could not be saved. They also questioned on the lack of information and transparency (as per NTCA protocol) about the injury and death of this leopard in a meat bomb blast incident that happened 8 days back.
However, speaking to Green Minute News, Hassan Circle Chief Conservator of Forest V Yedukondalu said, “The young leopard was first shifted to Koorgalli Rescue Centre, Mysuru but since they expressed their inability to treat the animal, later it was shifted to the Bannerghatta Rescue Centre, Bengaluru. Since the leopard was still alive, we made all efforts to save the animal till the last minute. Unfortunately, the leopard died.”
The CCF stressed, “The leopard was still alive and it was in fact, responding to treatment for its external injuries. So, it was darted and shifted to a facility with better facilities. We were not sure whether its brain was damaged. The side of the lower jaw was badly injured and open while the upper jaw was intact. The skeletal portions were intact and the forest department did its best to save the leopard. But it died due to the trauma and injuries it suffered in the meat bomb blast. It is our duty to make all out efforts to save any wildlife till it is pronounced dead.”
A formal investigation has been launched in Arsikere to identify the offenders under the Wildlife Protection Act. Field staff are actively conducting local inquiries and gathering intelligence to identify and apprehend the culprits responsible for placing the illegal country-made explosive trap inside a chicken.
Further, a Wildlife Offence Report (WLOR No: 02/2026-27) has been officially registered at the Arsikere Range Office, Hassan Division.