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Release the Lions!
H/T LucianneOne Indian region is striking back against the bandits that have brought fear to the area by sending in wild lions to flush out the gangs from its forested ravines. The Chambal region, which covers the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh - has long been controlled by the gangs, known as 'dacoits'. With its maze of undulating ravines and dense forests, the Chambal Valley has provided perfect cover for the hideouts of numerous dacoit gangs for decades. The dacoits, who mostly abduct people for ransom, have been blamed for more than 4,000 kidnappings and 180 murders in the last five years. Now the government in the state of Uttar Pradesh has decided to strike back at the gangs by releasing 25 wild lions. The animals will be taken from a national park in Gujarat and released in the forests of Etawah. A forest ranger in Etawah said: "The presence of such large carnivores in the vicinity will be frightening for the dacoits. They were never afraid of the hyenas and wolves of the Chambal ravines, but lions will scare them away this time, we are sure." SK Chaudhary, the chief of police in Etawah, said: "If successful, our government will speak to its counterpart in Madhya Pradesh for an extension of the lion sanctuary - deeper into Chambal." But Guddu Khan, a 32-year-old Etawah businessman who was kidnapped by a Chambal gang and released after three months for a ransom of £9,000, doubts the lions will pose a threat to the gangs. "The dacoits are very good hunters as well," he said. "They will shoot down the lions the way they killed many leopards, wolves and other wild animals." Posted by: .com 2005-08-22 |
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