Srinagar, Oct 20: The body of a black bear was retrieved after around 18 hours from a 20-ft-deep well in Lolab area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district on Wednesday as the Wildlife Department failed to rescue the wild animal despite being instantly informed by the locals, news agency GNS reported.
The beast fell into the well on Tuesday afternoon purportedly while crossing over it in Kumar Mohalla locality in Wani Dorusa, Lolab with locals saying that they informed the Wildlife Department officials forth with, who however failed to turn up.
News agency GNS quoted locals saying that they went to see the animal this morning only to find it motionless. The animal was later retrieved dead from the well.
The incident has raised a question mark on the Wildlife Department officials who despite being informed non time, failed to save the wild animal.
“They were informed on time about it however they did nothing to save the poor animal leading to its tragic death”, a local said. Interestingly, soon after the bear fell into the well, a Wildlife official had told GNS that a rescue team was “on way to the spot” adding that chances of the animal’s survival were high.
Local Wildlife Ranger, Nissar Ahmad Rawa told GNS that “prima facie there has been careless approach from the field staff adding action as warranted would be taken against the erring employees”.
Chief Wildlife Warden Suresh Gupta said that the matter will be looked into. “This shouldn’t have happened, it is totally wrong. They (the staff) could have taken help from civilians or forest officials to save the animal. If it is proved that the staff has been found careless in any way, necessary action will be taken”.
SDM Lolab Aijaz Ahmad said that the matter is being looked into. “The matter is under consideration however it apparently seems that the Wildlife Department employees have been lackadaisical in their approach in saving the life of the animal”, he said.