the goan I network
QUEPEM
A 65-year-old man from Cavrem-Pirla in Quepem taluka was found dead in a forest on Thursday, after being suspected to have been gored to death by a bison.
According to reports, Pandhari Dharmu Gaonkar had gone to a nearby plantation in search of his cows on Wednesday. When he did not return home that night, concerned family members and neighbours went out in search of him on Thursday morning.
They found the body of Goankar in the nearby forest and also happened to notice a bison in the vicinity.
Locals claimed that the bison came charging at a villager, but he managed to save himself by climbing up a tree. Locals then notified the police and forest officials about the incident.
On receiving information, Sanguem MLA Prasad Gaonkar, Quepem Round Forest Officer and Quepem PI Manoj Mardolkar rushed to the spot.
Locals claimed to have found a wound on Pandhari’s body suggesting that he had been gored to death by the bison.
A police team later sent the body for an autopsy at the Hospicio hospital at Margao.
The alarmed villagers have demanded that the bison be captured at the earliest, before there is further loss to life.
Forest Officer Anil Shetkar assured locals that arrangements are being made to search and capture the bison in the area.
MLA Prasad Gaonkar tried to pacify the agitated villagers and requested forest officials to take all steps to capture the bison. “It is the Forest department’s duty to also safeguard and ensure the safety of people. They should initiate immediate measures to prevent the bison from attacking any other person,” Gaonkar said.
Incidentally, this is the third case of a person getting gored to death by bison, after two women were fatally wounded by bison in separate incidents in Sattari taluka earlier this year.
