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. They were involved in the bizarre snaring and burning incident of a young leopard. The offenders have been booked for violating various sections of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
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.
Later, the Range 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 – Shivakumar (son of Doddayya), too was arrested.
In the aftermath of the examination by the concerned vet, the charred dead animal was identified as a leopard which is a Schedule-I species – receiving the highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act.
Forest officials said the young 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 it was a complete meat ball and turned into ashes completely.
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 parts, 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, they added.
According to a local activist, this is a hilly terrain and is next to a arecanut garden and there are some farm huts where lot of snaring equipment is stored and can be seen in open daylight.
With this region sustaining a healthy population of sloth bears and leopards, they have become hunting grounds for many poachers in the Tumakuru Range. One can even see snares installed on Jackfruit trees to catch sloth bears. And even claws of sloth bears can be found in the grounds of this range as patrolling is absolutely minimal in this region.
Now how were the charred remains of the animal identified as a leopard? According to wildlife experts, claws, paws, hair follicles, canines and bones are some of the parts through which the identity of leopard or a tiger can be ascertained. Since the body was completely charred beyond recognition, some parts were found which was not fully burnt like the claws (identifying feature) and some bones in the fire pit.
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.
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 Smt. Pavithra V, Assistant Conservator of Forests, Tumakuru Sub-Division, Tumakuru.
Thereafter, a 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 were sent to the District Jail. Further investigations are in progress.
(PHOTO CREDIT: ALL IMAGES COURTESY KARNATAKA FOREST DEPARTMENT)