As fear of leopard continues to envelop people in Varthur area, a dog that was kept as bait to capture the leopard bait escaped.

The stray dog that was kept as a bait to capture the leopard that was reportedly spotted in Varthur area managed to dig his way out of the cage on Thursday evening.

The forest officials set another trap a day after a woman claimed to have spotted a leopard in the area on Tuesday night, reported Deccan Chronicle.

The forest officials have kept the first cage at Vigyor International School in Varthur  after a leopard was rescued from there on February 7.

The one with the dog as the bait was brought from Hessarghatta, and has been kept six kilometres from the first cage at Nallurahalli, behind Divyashree Tech Park near Whitefield, reported Deccan Herald.

A two-member team of animal activists, who went to see the dog, complained that the dog was not provided food and water since Wednesday. They found the cage empty and the dog had fled when they visited on Thursday, reported DC.

DC quoted Mandhakini Vasudevan, an animal rights activist saying, “When we read the news, I along with another member went to Varthur to see the dog around 4 pm, but by then the animal had managed to escape. We called district forest officials to ask as to why no food and water was given to the dog, amounting to animal cruelty.”

Dipika Bajpai, deputy conservator of forests, Bengaluru Urban, said,“If the leopard hasn’t walked into the cage, it is an indication that the carnivore is not around.” 

However,  assistant conservator of forests, Bengaluru South, S Krupanidhi  said, “Leopard will not walk into the cage immediately. We have to wait for at least three days. If the leopard is in the area, it may or may not get attracted to the bait.”

This is an aggregation from Deccan Herald and Deccan Chronicle