TURA, March 15 - Three persons from the village of Wageasi in North Garo Hills were arrested by the Wildlife Department after they posted photos of their trapping, killing and consuming a leopard cat from near their village.
Leopard cats are Schedule 1 on the list of endangered species. Interestingly, the photos of the trapped leopard were posted on social media by the poachers themselves.
A user on Facebook, going by the name of A Chik D Shira posted two photos on his profile page, one showing how the leopard cat was trapped and the next with two persons carrying the animal with steel wires around its neck.
Social media across the region erupted in anger over the photos with things going viral with immediate effect. The Wildlife department was also informed on the matter leading to a hunt that ended this evening with the arrest of the three from the village of Wageasi in North Garo Hills.
The three have been identified as Golai Marak, Jonesh D Shira and Jaila Marak.
�We were informed this morning of the incident following which we made efforts to track down the people responsible for the trapping and killing of the cat. With the assistance of the police, we were able to arrest them from the village of Wageasi along with the trap and the skin of the leopard cat that they killed,� said Wildlife DFO, Arphiyus Sangma.
The anger follows close on the heels of an MDC, Wenison Marak, coming in the firing line for killing two wild pigeons and posing with his kill on social media. A case has been registered with the Wildlife department against the MDC with the BJP also filing an FIR on the matter. The MDC is apparently still on the run over the incident.
As per the Wildlife department, the house of the MDC in Chokpot in South Garo Hills, has been under lock and key with there being no one to tell of his whereabouts.
