INDORE: Six years after relocation of leopard, farmers of Madhya Pradesh's opium belt now want the wild cat back in Mandsaur to protect their poppy fields from opium-addicted Nilgai .

The Nilagi, which has developed a taste for the drug, is on rampage in the region raiding poppy crop. The farmers' efforts to rein in the menace are turning futile. Now, farmers are urging forest department to bring back leopard in the forests of Mandsaur which span over 5,000 hectares. Mandsaur DFO R N Sharma said till 2008, opium belt in the district had two leopards but they were shifted to other area on insistence of villagers. Farmers had complained that leopard regularly came near their village putting their lives in danger. "Now they want leopard back," he said. Manak Sharma, a resident of Rewah Dewada village, said till 2008, the population of Nilgai was under control as they fell prey to leopard. But after shifting the leopard, Nilgai has grown in numbers and it has become fearless. They are now the biggest wild animal of Mandsaur forest. "Our opium fields were safe as long as leopard was here," said Sharma. Forest guard Raghuraj Singh Sisodia said, "First villagers drove out leopard and now they want it back. They have realized the importance of wild cat." Suraj Singh of Ghatwada village said, "We want leopard back in the region and we will ensure its safety." He said villagers are promising to protect leopard. Chief conservator of forest P C Dubey said this is a classic example of imbalance in eco-system. "With the shifting of leopard, food chain was disturbed increasing the number of Nilagai. Now the problem is that we cannot shift Nilagi from this region as it will be resisted by villagers where it will be relocated," said Dubey adding that even re-introducing leopard would be difficult. Forest official said in the past few years, condition of forest has deteriorated and it cannot host leopard anymore. In the absence of dense forest, leopard may come close to villages and invite fresh problems.