An operation to catch a leopard in Karnataka's Belagavi entered the 25th day on Monday, August 31, with authorities now using a 'trap' method to capture the big cat. More than 350 personnel are part of combing operations with JCBs, elephants, sharpshooters, anesthetic experts in the premises of the Golf Club spread across 250 acres in the heart of the Belagavi city.
The leopard first made an appearance about four weeks ago, after it attacked a labourer, who sustained injuries but survived the attack. His mother, however, passed away due to a heart attack when she learnt of the news of the attack. Since then, efforts are being made to capture the leopard, which has often been spotted in residential areas, and release it into the wild.
The prolonged operation, which began on August 8, has created public outrage, and the Congress had demanded the resignation of the state Forest Minister Umesh Katti. Forest Minister Umesh Katti on August 29, said that he was ready to resign if that helps the forest department in capturing the elusive leopard.
"My opponents have been calling for my resignation due to the leopard's escape, among other reasons. If the leopard is captured as a result of my resignation, I am prepared to tender my resignation," he said.
Forest officials have been trying various methods to try and capture the big cat, but in vain. The officials, in one such attempt, used the urine of a female leopard, spread across a cage installed to catch the prowling leopard. The authorities have also put dogs inside a few cages, but to no avail. The stealthy leopard has managed to evade the traps laid out so far and forest officials are flummoxed by the leopard changing its place of movement. They were also forced to change the places of eight small cages, one big cage and CCTV cameras as the leopard keeps changing its location.
As a precautionary measure, 22 schools and colleges, both government and private, have been closed. Over 10,000 students going to schools close to the Golf Club were affected by the move. Few of the schools restarted classes on Monday with teachers asking parents to sign a no-objection form.