Vadodara: The Chhota Udepur forest department on Friday arrested a resident of Zab village in Pavi Jetpur taluka for allegedly shooting down a leopard. Hindu Rathwa, 56, was arrested by the forest officials after they learnt that he had shot at and killed the leopard. Chhota Udepur RFO Nilesh Pandya said that Rathwa has admitted to have killed the leopard.“We had received information that Rathwa has shot at the leopard. We kept a watch in his village as he was missing for last two days. We arrested him on Friday and he has admitted to have killed the leopard with his .12 bore gun. We have also seized the weapon,” Pandya told TOI. The gun will now be sent for FSL test to ascertain if bullets were fired from it.Rathwa’s brother Ramsinh was attacked by a leopard some days ago. Hindu Rathwa and other villagers were looking for the leopard since then. About four days ago, Rathwa saw the leopard in night and opened a fire in air. “He claimed that the leopard then charged towards it so he opened fire. The bullet hit the leopard between its legs and it died due to the injuries,” Pandya said.The leopard had died on January 7 at the forest department’s rescue centre. The department later registered a case in a Pavi Jetpur court in connection with the death.The leopard was rescued after four human beings were attacked last week. Of the four, two died while the other two are critical. The leopard was moved to the rescue centre of forest department at Dhobikuva near Pavagadh on January 7. The rescue centre is the only facility in the state where man-eater leopards are kept for remaining part of their lives.

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