MUZAFFARABAD: Officials from the wild-life department of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) attempted to find the corpses of leopard cubs on Tuesday. The cubs were reportedly shot on June 16, the day before Eid ul Adha.
After images of the infant cats’ dead bodies laying in Muzaffarabad’s Phgwan Dupatta region went viral on social media, the authorities raced to locate the animals.
Locals in the region reportedly called the wildlife officials to report the issue.
In response to the reports, teams from the AJK Forestry, Wildlife, and Fisheries Department arrived at the location where the deceased leopard kittens were allegedly found, the officials said, adding that further inquiries were being conducted into the situation.
Commenting on the reported slaughter of the wild cats would be “pre-mature” until their dead bodies are not found, according to Naeem Iftikhar Dar, director of the department of forestry, wildlife, and fisheries.
Nonetheless, the residents reported hearing gunfire nearby.
Speak reported that a case registration request against the purported killing of leopard cubs had been filed with the appropriate police station.
The teams have been looking for the cats for a few days, but Dar told Geo News that there has been no sign of their lifeless bodies.
In order to forward the inquiry, he stated that they are also searching for any eyewitnesses.
