Mangalore: Operation 'Capture Cat' Exposes Ugly Underbelly of Crisis Management
by Richie Lasrado, Resident Editor
with spot inputs from senior correspondent Viju Mangalore
Watch excluisve Video
Mangalore: Operation 'Capture Cat' - Exclusive Video
Feb 12, 2007
Mangalore, Feb 11: It was a day of confusions. The media, officials and rescue specialists all went by the hearsay.
Much before the big cat that strayed into the human habitat was even spotted or photographed, the raging controversy had already erupted. The official version, though given unofficially, was that it was a cheetah. The citizens, not knowing the subtle differences between cheetahs and panthers or leopards, went by their ears. What they did not realize was that what is known as 'chirate' or 'chittepili' was not really a cheetah. By sheer connection of similar sounding words, it was reported as a cheetah by those who initially spotted it.
When the reports were first filed by our correspondents about the spotting of a cheetah, many of our alert readers across the globe shot back saying it could not be a cheetah but an Indian Leopard or a panther, for the simple reason that cheetahs were no longer found in our country. In fact a well-informed regular reader from a distant city said if at all it was a cheetah, it may have been smuggled from Iran and Africa and could not be of Indian origin. A big salute to our agile and accomplished readers !
Although the animal was first spotted around 1-30 pm, no one from the official side could say anything about its identity until it was seen in full body sometime around sundown. It was only then it was confirmed that it was indeed not a cheetah but a Panthera Pardus or the Indian Leopard.
However, this confusion was overridden by the confusion caused by the unwieldy number of people that gathered on the spot. Most of them did not have anything worthwhile to do on a Sunday. Any diversion was good enough. As the news spread, it was a case of more the merrier. Unfortunately not so for the law-enforcing authorities.
Sunday's episode of crisis management should ring a warning bell to officials, social workers and not in the least to the citizens themselves. While it can be agreed that a situation arising out of a wild animal having a royal walk in the middle of the city could have been least expected, the way it was handled was a fine example for record how not to face a situation.
On the whole the "Operation Capture Panther" - pardon us, the nomenclature is ours and not an official one - was a long, chaotic process. The police, forest officers, wildlife officers and the general public created a mess at the spot.
While the wild visitor had been held captive in a godown and the only entrance to it closed with a net, chaos prevailed all throughout the capture process.
While none seemed to take the initiative of guiding the operation, the work on the spot was like a sailing ship at the mercy of the gales.
What Daijiworld gathered from responsible citizens is that the biggest failure was on the part of the police department which in spite of having adequate personnel was unable to keep the curious onlookers away.
Several police personnel were without lathis and the public did not seem to hear any orders from them, until the lathis came in. We cannot blame them entirely. It is the political parties which create commotion every now and then and when the situation goes out of control, if they have to lob lachrymatory gas or use cane or fire, it is the same stock of politicians who demand judicial enquiry or effect transfer of responsible officials. Could we then blame them for not being harsh?
The ill-equipped wildlife personnel finally left the entire operation to the charge of the local youth and the police who gradually developed a rough plan of working and captured the animal. But the net that was brought, according to eyewitnesses, sported a gaping hole in it.
Operation:
Citizens also commented that the tranquilizers were used by primtive means. (No one could have even checked the expiry dates on the tranquilizers, as they are hardly needed to be used.) We are told that when the dope doses did not work, water was constantly used to cool down the animal.
Fishing nets were also brought to catch the animal. Essential equipment like digging tools, search lights etc were brought far too later.
As the operation reached its end, even the police could not control the crowd which had gathered to have a glimpse of the visitor from the wild.
The Sunday crowd had their own share of entertainment. Around 4,000 people had gathered in the area and this hindered the operation. Citizens could well pay attention to better civic sense in times of emergencies.
It took them over 8 hours to finally overpower the animal. According to wildlife officers, the effect of the tranquilizers was slow as the animal was agitated since the noise around it kept it alert.
In all, it showed how ill-equipped the city is in facing any challenges.
Some time ago, an expert had written in a local English monthly that a seismographic line between Mulki to Chennai through the Deccan plateau clearly spelt of a looming danger of an earthquake-proneness of the entire belt. To add to the hazard, high-rises are being concentrated at certain points in the city, while the stress should have been laid on the horizontal growth of the city.
That is just one of the angles of the possible future shocks. Sunday's repsonse in terms of crisis management showed a yawning gap of inadequacies in our response. How could we face major calamities that could befall us in the coming days?
End of Operation Capture
Sunday, Feb 11 - 7-45 pm
Pics Dayanand Kukkaje
Finally the big cat has been captured. Since the tranquilizers did not work on it, the officials used water cannons to overpower it into submission.
Sources said that it would be carted off to the Pilikula wildlife sanctuary to be freed there. Here are some action pictures from the scene.
Wildlife deputy conservator of forests Anita Arekal on the spot
Mystery Surrounds the Visit of Unsolicited Visitor from the Wild
Update: Sunday, 6-45 pm
The latest report says the cat family member has only been cornered in a room so as not to escape. Hence clicking photographs is not possible for the time being.
A split-second glimpse of the animal clicked by Sphoorti Ullal
The tranquilizers injected did not have the expected results, said eyewitnesses.
The restless crowd has to be treated 'roughly' by the police personnel. For this reason, even mediapersons find it hard to go closer.
In the meantime, the circumstances of this animal landing in the middle of the city have raised several questions. There are forests around the city. Thick green pockets do exist close to downtown Mangalore, but existence of wild animals like cheetah is unheard of.
As reported already in these columns, there was a similar case of a feline friend fromt the wild being spotted and caught on the Light House Hill about eight years ago. It was the last possible thing for an animal to escape from the jungle and come all the way to the heart of the city. That was the time when the Suratkal communal riots had just taken place.
Fingers were being pointed towards Neermarga that an affluent family was believed to have nurtured a cheetah cub, which had grown on the years. When it was making 'loud' noise literally, it was about to be left in wild, in which process, it is said to have strayed into the main commercial hub of the city. How credible this story is, no one is sure. But questions are again raised as to how this cheetah, which paid a surprise visit could land in such a busy area.
Early reports said that a woman had spotted it on Lower Bendur III Cross near a firewood depot and had shooed it away with the help of a dog. How it finally ended up across two roads and on the other side of the Kankanady appears to be crore-rupee mystery.
It is not immediately known if the forest, wildlife and police officials will hold an enquiry into the background of the unexpected visit of an unsolicited visitor to town.
Is it really a cheetah or a panther?
While the media and the public are being told by officials that it is a cheetah, already there are contradictions heard to the effect that cheetahs are no longer in existence in India.
Cheetah Caught
Update 5-15 pm
Our correspondent on the spot says the animal has been caught successfully, after three rounds of tranquilizer shots.
A Sunday crowd of 5,000 has gathered on the spot, as it might be a better diversion to watch the thrilling tamasha, rather than visit the beach or park.
Photographers are not being allowed by the police and officials to click it because of the large crowd presence.
Update 5-00 pm
Pics Rajesh Shetty
All efforts are being made by the wildlife and police personnel to capture the animal, after tranquilizer shots. In the meantime five persons are said to have been attacked by the cheetah as it was being approached. Krishna, Raju and Shankar are among the injured. Mayor Vijaya Arun, KPCC member U T Khader and others visited them at Fr Muller hospital where they have been admitted.
Sunday, Feb 11, 4-45 pm
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (MB)
with spot inputs from Viju Mangalore
Mangalore, Feb 11: The heart of the city on the Kankanady side was set aflutter when a cheetah was spotted on Sunday afternoon near the Colaco Institute of Nursing, on the Kankanady bypass.
File pic of a cheetah
Cheetah is a mammal of the cat family - Acinonyx jubatus - known as Chirate in Kannada and Chittepili in Tulu. It has remained a mystery how the animal landed in the city. It is guessed that it may have escaped from some vehicle while being clandestinely transported within the city.
The cheetah is said to have hidden near the elevator of the nursing institute but later as a result of the commotion created by the large crowds gathered, it has reportedly taken shelter in a shed behind a house in the vicinity. A shot of tranquilizer shot at it is said to have gone beyond aim. Wildlife and veterinary officials are on the spot.
A single net brought to the spot by the officials was evidence to official apathy and lack of preparedness in exigencies - by showing a large hole in it.
More details and pictures will be posted here soon.
It may be recalled here about 7-8 years ago, a cheetah was found and caught near the Ladies' Club on the Light House Hill. It was kept in the Kadri park for a few days and later taken to Mysore. It reportedly died of malnutrition some days later.
As this report was being filed, superintendent of police B Dayananda, mayor Vijaya Arun and deputy conservator of forests (wildlife) Anita Arekal are at the spot supervising the rescue operation.