PATHANAMTHITTA: The story of the death of a man, who was part of illicit spirit mafia in the forests of Pathanamthitta, as told by his gang member who was arrested later by forest officials, is more thrilling than a Hollywood movie. The man was ripped apart by a leopard in apparent revenge for killing its mate. Baby (64) alias ‘Kezha’ Baby of Vadakkemannil, Angamoozhy, was attacked and killed by the animal on March 2, four days after he had killed its mate deep inside the forest during a usual distillation session.
The authorities captured his teammate Thampi recently, who revealed the story of revenge. A four-member gang including Baby had camped inside the forest at the Nathakkamudi area on the day. While they were busy with distillation, they noticed something moving behind a bush nearby.
Baby took his gun and fired towards it. A large growl followed the gunfire and a leopard fled for life while its mate found bathed in the blood breathed its last in a short while. The gang was startled at first but shared its meat while Baby took its skin and headed home.
The team again united for another distillation session four days later to find that Plappally forest authorities had destroyed their instruments. The gang moved further in search of a safer spot, nearly a kilometre inside the reserve forest at Odichukuthivalavu. Baby, who suffocated while walking, took rest on a rock while others moved on.
“When they returned, Baby was missing, and only his chappals were there. Upon searching, they found a trail of blood drops going inside the deep forest. The team rushed to the spot to see a leopard that caught hold of Baby was dragging him away. "It left him half dead while others screamed seeing the sight. They took him down to the road and sought the help of two others to take him to the hospital. He died on his way,” Goodrical Range Officer P.A. Saju told DC.
They first misguided the officers that he was killed near the Plappally forest station. However, the officers kept his acquaintances under vigil. Mr Saju took Baby’s aide Thampi alias ‘Ice’ Thampi into custody after he was found near Palathadiyar forest area under suspicious circumstances on Thursday after which the story of the revenge was revealed. The authorities are yet to find the other two members of the gang and to recover the skin of the animal.
