Elusive leopard scaring Bengaluru residents shot dead

Bengaluru, Nov 1 (PTI) Foresters shot dead the elusive leopard on Wednesday that had scared Bengaluru residents for the past five days.

After three days of intense search operations, forest department officials tracked the wild cat in the city's outskirts at Kudlu Gate near Electronic City in Bengaluru South. They had set a cage and tried to trap the leopard and when their efforts failed, shots were fired, officials said.

Chief Conservator of Forest S S Lingaraja told reporters, "The leopard had attacked the veterinary doctor Kiran and one more staff member. They were grievously injured. It jumped to attack one more staff. So, he shot it in self defense. We tried to revive it (the leopard) in Bannerghatta but it died," he added.

Lingaraja said the Chief Wildlife Warden had given permission to shoot it when it started attacking people grievously.

Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Kumar Pushkar told PTI that the entire operation was taking place since morning. The leopard could not be caught alive. It was traced from Kudlu Gate and all efforts were made.

"When it was found that it was not possible to capture it alive, since it was very aggressive and attacking people…. Three of our staff, including a veterinarian, were attacked while they were trying to catch it… "A representative of an NGO who was supporting us with the operation was also attacked by the leopard. So, finally, the chief wildlife warden permitted it to be shot dead." No member of the general public was hurt during the operation, he said.

According to the forest officials, the veterinarian, who was trying to dart it, got injuries in the neck. Presently, he is being treated at a hospital.

The leopard was reportedly hiding in an abandoned building and was shot dead as it ran dangerously towards a forester standing near a snare, the officials said.

Quickly, the injured leopard was bundled and shoved into a cage, from where it was taken to the Bannerghatta Biological Park where efforts were made to revive it but in vain.

The big cat had recently strayed from the wild somewhere near the Bannerghatta Biological Park, and was seen near Electronic City in Bengaluru south.

The matter came to light on October 29 after a CCTV footage showing the leopard inside the apartment premises in Kudlu Gate went viral on social media platforms. It was again spotted on the road, creating fear among the residents.

The foresters were on their toes to locate it and had deployed cages and drones. They also brought a few experts from Mysuru to catch the leopard. PTI AMP KH