Forest officer orders probe into nilgai’s death in Abohar sanctuary

Divisional forest officer (wildlife) Kalpana Nayak has initiated a probe into the death of a baby Nilgai (Blue Bull) which was under the custody of wildlife guards.

Villagers, belonging to the Bishnoi community, in the vicinity of Abohar Wildlife Sanctuary, the biggest such open facility in Asia, had handed over the nilgai to the officials, after stray dogs had mauled it, severely injuring the animal. Bishnois are known for the zeal with they protect their land and wildlife and the incident has left the community infuriated.

“Instead of providing treatment to the nilgai, wildlife officials kept it in a closed room, where it collapsed on Tuesday,” claimed RD Bishnoi, president, Akhil Bharatiya Jeev Raksha Samiti, while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.

Threatening to launch an agitation if the nuisance of stray dogs in and around the sanctuary was not tackled soon, he claimed, “Had wildlife guards provided timely treatment to the nilgai, it could have survived.”

“Repeated demands to handle the nuisance of stray dogs and the installation of ‘cobra fencing’ around the wildlife sanctuary have been ignored. We want action against the erring guards,” he added. On Tuesday, range officer Malkit Singh reached the spot and got a post-mortem conducted, before burying the carcass.