Cases of trespassing into Rajaji Reserve Forest on the rise in recent weeks: Officials

The number of people entering without permission the leopard-infested Motichur range of Rajaji Tiger Reserve has significantly gone up in the last few weeks, becoming a major cause of concern for the forest department, officials said Saturday.

Everyday four to six persons, mostly drug addicts or the mentally unstable, get caught in the Motichur area of the jungle, said Range Officer Pramod Dhyani.

"It is very dangerous as Motichur range is full of leopards. Straying into the big cat's habitat means inviting trouble," he said.

As many as 22 people have been killed by man-eater leopards in the range in the past three years, he stated.

While mentally unstable people enter the range unknowingly, drug addicts go there in search of 'bhang' (type of marijuana) leaves, he said.

Forty solar energy street lights have been installed in Gauri Mafi and Khand villages of the range, to keep the area well lit and prevent incidents of animals attacking humans, he said.

Further patrolling has been intensified in Boksa Basti, Gauri Mafi, Raiwala, Pratitnagar, Ammunition Dump and Captain Farm areas of the range, he said.