Aarey Colony, regularly in the news as the battleground between green warriors and those pushing for development, lost a beloved resident recently, as Chandni, a six-year-old female leopard was found dead in a poacher’s trap.

A front-page report in this paper yesterday stated that the big cat had escaped from a wire snare in 2014 but lost her life in a similar trap a couple of weeks ago. This is the first poaching death in Aarey, and if the poachers have their way, there could be more casualties. Aarey is home to at least seven leopards and other wildlife as well, and Chandni’s death should serve as a warning bell for the authorities who are now confronted with a serious poaching menace. It is clear that poachers have become much bolder — just 20 feet from the spot where Chandni got trapped, forest officials found yet another trap and deactivated it. This paper had also reported just last month that volunteers had found two snares in Aarey. Chandni’s death shows that the poachers’ efforts are now bearing fruit.