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Ahmedabad, October 14
The Gujarat forest department on Monday announced a cash reward of Rs 25,000 for information on four persons seen in a viral video torturing a leopard cub, an official said.
In the video, a man can be seen holding the cub by the scruff of the neck while two other persons are trying to click photographs and record clips.
A fourth person armed with a stick is seen laughing as the four-month-old cub gets agitated due to discomfort and tries to paw at a mobile phone.
"A cash reward of Rs 25,000 for providing information in catching these culprits announced by Greater Gir Task Force. Contact concerned DCFs or contact the task force at 7574950055," the forest department tweeted on Monday.
While personnel from Gir forest, over 350 kilometres from here, and surrounding areas of Saurashtra region, including Junagadh, have been asked to probe the case, a section of officials believe the video could have been shot anywhere in the state.
"This video was forwarded to us by our superiors as they suspect it was shot in our region. We feel chances of this video being shot in Gir forest are very less. Leopards give birth in farms too. It is possible the mother leopard lost the cub and it was found by these four culprits," said SK Berwal, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Junagadh Division.
He said social media was also being used to track down the four persons. PTI
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