Man Accidentally Trapped in Leopard Capture Cage
In a bizarre incident in Uttar Pradesh's Bahraich district, a 28-year-old man found himself trapped inside a metal cage installed by the Forest Department to capture a dangerous leopard. The incident occurred on Thursday in the Kaiserganj area, where the cage had been set up to catch a leopard suspected of killing a woman earlier in the week.
The man, identified as Pradeep Sharma, became ensnared in the automated trap cage that was specifically designed to capture the roaming leopard. According to forest officials, Pradeep might have been under the influence of alcohol when the incident took place.
Dramatic Rescue Operation
The trapped man managed to use his cellphone to call friends and relatives for help while shouting from inside the reinforced cage. Alerted by the commotion and phone calls, local villagers quickly informed the Forest Department officials about the unusual situation.
Forest department personnel rushed to the spot immediately upon receiving the alert. They promptly unlocked the trap cage and safely released Pradeep from his unexpected confinement. The cage features an automatic door mechanism that triggers shut upon detecting movement inside - the same mechanism that had been intended to capture the leopard.
Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of Bahraich, Ram Singh Yadav, confirmed that no First Information Report (FIR) was filed in the matter. However, officials did issue a stern warning to Pradeep for both endangering his own safety and interfering with an ongoing wildlife tracking operation.
Serious Concerns Raised by Officials
DFO Yadav expressed serious concerns about the incident, noting that while Pradeep's intentions remain unclear, the consequences could have been far more severe. "The incident is being taken seriously as he could have suffered serious injuries or even risked his life by entering the trap," Yadav stated.
The forest department had installed the specialized cage following a tragic incident on November 26, when a leopard allegedly killed a woman in the same area. The cage was part of strategic efforts to capture the dangerous animal and prevent further attacks on local residents.
This incident highlights the challenges faced by forest departments in balancing wildlife conservation with public safety. While such traps are essential for managing human-animal conflicts, they also require careful monitoring and public awareness to prevent accidental encounters.
