Assam: Jorhat Locals Defy Curfew & Social Distancing Norms to Chase Leopard after 1 Attacked

Jorhat, March 30, 2020:

Bipul Bora and Atul Bora, two locals of Jorhat in Assam, were greeted to the unwelcome sight of a leopard that had reportedly ventured in from a neighboring forest area. It was reportedly taking shelter near a pond behind

The leopard then attacked a local called Nitmoni Bora, at which the locals started giving chase. The beast then clambered onto the house of a man called Pulin Rakhowa. "It is a large creature. It is at least four-and-a-half foot long, and it must be around 4 foot tall", informed a local.

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The emergence of the leopard in the area created a situation of hue-and-cry in the area, and many were seen gathering in the area to catch a glimpse of the powerful animal. Remarkably, not a single person in the locality seemed to be following the social distancing norms laid down by the Government in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In video that Inside Northeast has received from the locality, several of the local residents can be seen gawking at the beast and creating a hue-and-cry and panic settles in the region following the leopard attack.

Similar sights have been witnessed all over Assam. If in Jorhat locals are gathering in numbers to chase a leopard, in other parts it is because they are trying to stock up on supplies amid rumours that the lockdown will be extended beyond 21 days.

Hundreds if not thousands today flocked to Assam capital Dispur in a bid to grab rice. In a gross violation of the social distancing guidelines laid down by the WHO, scores of Assamese reached the area that had been earmarked for the rice distribution. However, it later came to light that the distribution was only planned for the worst-hit daily wage laborers, and as the information was “fake” and the people were forced to return empty-handed.

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Citizens of Guwahati, Assam, failed to comply with social distancing norms amid the COVID-19 scare, and a red alert was raised when the people, in a mad scramble to grab the rice, did not maintain the recommended distance of 1 metre. This has raised the red alarm as the COVID-19 is said to spread via close contact.

An Inside Northeast source has informed us that the distribution had been planned by the Government to “help” the daily wage laborers such as rickshaw pullers and manual laborers who live hand-to-mouth. However, when a local gaon burha disclosed that free would be given out, people from all walks of life came for the distribution. Later, police dispersed the crowd who had been waiting for several hours and the beneficiaries will now be given the supplies in pouches which will be delivered to their homes, our source further informed.

Also, in Lanka, similar sights have been witnessed and some locals have condemned the Government for failing to raise the red flag.

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