Endangered fishing cat brutally killed with spear in Chuadanga

A fishing cat, of endangered species, was brutally killed by a local fishing spear by a man in Damurhuda in Chudanga. 

The incident took place on Friday afternoon in a paddy field in Battala Para of Dhanyaghara village under Kuralgachi union at Damurhuda upazila, local administration officials confirmed to The Business Standard

In a video circulating on social media, the fishing cat can be seen trying to free itself from the spear stabbing its body as blood kept flowing.

The spear was lifted once the man was sure that the fishing cat had died.

In the video, one man can be heard saying from the side, "You have ended its life, Alamgir."

Speaking to TBS on the matter, Kuralgachi Union Parishad's Ward-4 member Shah Mohammed Farhad Hossain said the man accused of killing the fishing cat is Alamgir Fakir, son of Touhidul Fakir, a resident of Dhanyaghara village. 

"Alamgir Fakir has a paddy field next to his house. Wild animals roam there. A few days ago, he saw a fishing cat near his house. Fearing that the animal might eat Alamgir's ducks, he regularly guards his house and the paddy field with a fish spear.

"On Friday afternoon, he was hiding inside the paddy field with the spear. When the fishing cat came to the paddy field, he stabbed it with the spear near its tail and dragged it onto the road. 

"When the cat tried to escape repeatedly to save his life, he tightened the grip of the spear. It was brutally killed."

He, however, noted that it Alamgir was not aware of the crime he committed and only "killed it to save his ducks".

However, Bakhtiar Hamid Bipul, founder of the environmental organisation Pankauri, disagrees.

He said, "The fishing cat is an endangered species. It does not cause any harm. It is a peaceful and harmless animal. A few days ago, I made the general public aware of this issue in that area. The animal killer should be brought under the law. Action should be taken under the Wildlife Act." 

"The animal was killed by causing pain and suffering before it even attacked any ducks. I have never seen any animal being killed by causing pain in this way. Awareness advice was given by distributing leaflets and putting up posters. I was horrified after watching the video. How cruel people are to do such things to animals!" he said.

TBS tried to reach Alamgir over the phone, but he did not respond.

Damurhuda Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tithi Mitra said, "I heard about the matter from you. I will ask the forest officer to look into the matter. It was not right to kill the fishing cat. Necessary action will be taken."