Joy Hukil

Joy Hukil doesn't look like he would hurt a fly. The contractor, who goes about his day doing routine odd jobs, could pass off as just another middle-aged resident of Pauri Garhwal , the quaint hill station in Uttarakhand . But there's a more intrepid side to the man.

Hukil is a government-appointed killer of maneating big cats in the Kumaon and Garhwal hills. The count so far — 31.

Big cats, mainly leopards , are not uncommon in these parts. They generally maintain their distance from humans, but depleting forest cover and recurring fires force many to foray into hamlets to prey on livestock. At times, they end up attacking humans.

"Once they taste blood, hunting humans becomes a habit. Thus is born a maneater. While there is an option to tranquilise and cage them, I do not think that it is wise with maneaters ," says the hunter, who's helped catch and cage six big cats.

For the kill, he carries a .375 and a 12-bore rifle, apart from other paraphernalia such as search lights, binoculars, hunter shoes, and a specially designed jacket. Earlier, he drove a Maruti 800, but now hunts in a Mahindra Bolero SUV. He is accompanied by an assistant.

The maneater may not be easy to spot or distinguish from non-maneaters. "It may take a few days, or even weeks, to track down the bagh (big cat)," says Hukil. The predator is a master at deception. "They can mimic or make strange noises to confuse you. Sometimes they can come out with the voice of a cat, or an owl, or strange shrieks. In Almora, there was a leopard that literally barked like a dog," he adds. "The pug marks near their victim's body give you an idea of whether it's a male or a female, its size, and weight. Also, we have to closely coordinate with the locals to figure out its movements and possible hideouts."

The job is perilous, and surprisingly, he does it gratis. "We do not get any salary or insurance, and no car or gun is provided by the forest department. The risk is all mine; it's more like a social service," says Hukil.

Hukil began hunting in 2007. He learnt about guns and shooting in the NCC. What drove him to take on the job? It was the "number of dead bodies I saw after attacks by leopards and tigers," says Hukil, recalling how he had to work hard to hunt down a leopard once that had killed 11 people.

The big cat can be quite elusive. "They are on alert the moment they spot a hunter. Remember, while we adapt to hunting, they are born hunters, and are also very quick. They do their homework and carry out a recce before they strike," says Hukil. He adds that leopards are intelligent and take their prey by surprise — while villagers are relieving themselves, or are passing through the forests. "They can follow the daily routine of people, and are aware that humans can't see very well at night."

The hunters use their own tricks to draw out the maneaters. Dead cattle, or even live ones, are used as bait when there is surety about the predator's movement. "But this can be dangerous too, especially when the animal comes charging in. A well-built leopard can be six feet in length, around 2-3 feet in height and can literally shake the ground when it is hurtling towards you and is just 15-20 metres away. We need to be quick in the counter attack."

Hukil last killed a big cat — a tiger — in November 2016. With the high court putting restrictions on hunting of even maneaters, this latter-day Jim Corbett hasn't had the chance to go for the kill since then.

