The man was ripped apart by a leopard in apparent revenge for killing its mate.
The story of the death of a man, who was part of the illicit liquor mafia in the forests of Pathanamthitta, as told by his gang-member who was arrested later by forest officials, is more sensational than fiction.
The man was ripped apart by a leopard in apparent revenge for killing its mate.
Baby, 64, of Angamoozhy, in the district of Pathanamthitta, was attacked and killed by the animal on March 2, four days after he had killed its mate deep inside the forest.
The authorities captured his associate Thampi recently, who revealed the story of revenge.
A four-member gang, including Baby, had camped inside the forest at the Nathakkamudi area on the day. While they were busy distilling the hooch, they noticed something moving behind a bush nearby.
Baby took his gun and fired towards it. A large growl followed the gunfire and a leopard fled for life while its mate, found bathed in blood, breathed its last a short while later.
The gang was startled at first, but shared its meat while Baby took its skin and headed home.
The team again united for another distillation session four days later to find that Plappally forest authorities had destroyed their instruments. The gang moved further in search of a safer spot, nearly a kilometre inside the reserve forest at Odichukuthivalavu. Baby, who felt tired from walking, took rest on a rock while others moved on.
“When they returned, Baby was missing, and only his chappals were there. After searching for a while, they found a trail of blood drops going inside the deep forest. The team rushed to the spot to see that a leopard was dragging Baby away.
“It left him half dead while his associates screamed. They took him down to the road and sought the help of two others to take him to the hospital. He died on his way,” Goodrical range officer P.A. Saju said.
They first told the officers that he was killed near the Plappally forest station. However, the officers kept monitoring his associates.
Mr Saju took Baby’s aide Thampi into custody after he was found near Palathadiyar forest area under suspicious circumstances on Thursday after which the story of revenge was revealed.
courtesy : Sham mohammed Deccan Chronicle
