Mumbai: Cops attend workshop on how to handle leopards, wildlife laws

Just a week after mid-day reported that the Aarey police wanted leopards to be trapped, the Thane Forest Department conducted an awareness camp for policemen to train them on wildlife laws. The workshop, held on Thursday as part of the Mumbaikars for SGNP initiative, saw the participation of over 25 cops, who we­re taught abo­ut protocols in the event of a sighting.

On April 1, mid-day reported (Now, Aarey Colony cops take aim against leopards) how local police had claimed that residents were living in fear of leopards and the big cats should be moved elsewhere. Last month, local MLA and minister Ravindra Waikar had also made an outrageous demand to kick leopards out of their natural habitat in Aarey Milk Colony.

In a March 22 letter to the forest department cops had demanded that leopards in Aarey Colony should be trapped for the safety of locals. In its response, the forest department informed the cops that random caging of an animal is against the man-animal conflict guidelines prepared by the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change. Consequently, this camp was organised.

RFO Kank said, "Over 25 police officers from Aarey police station, including top officials, were present at the workshop. We explained the dos and don'ts of leopard handling and taught them about the wildlife laws protecting the big cat. We also helped them understand that trapping a wild animal is not always the solution to possible man-animal conflict."

Kank said the cops were also trained on the various safety measures they should undertake in the event of a leopard sighting. According to sources, Aarey cops promised to work in close association with the forest department to handle a leopard crisis properly.