A leopard that was on the prowl in Karnataka’s Mysuru district, and which mauled two students to death, was captured near ML Hundi village by Forest Department officials on Friday, December 23. According to reports, residents said there was an air of tension in T Narsipura taluk as it had been stalking the area for about six-seven months and attacked several people.
On October 31, a 22-year-old student named Manjunath was mauled to death by the leopard, following which camera traps were placed in the area. Weeks later, 22-year-old Meghana was found dead nearby on December 1, and officials suspect that the same leopard was responsible for both deaths. Following Meghana’s death, the Forest Department launched a search operation to locate and trap the leopard. Officials searched the forest using drone cameras and over 15 teams were formed to capture the big cat. A shoot-on-sight order was also issued.
Following Meghana’s death, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai announced that the families of those killed by leopards in Karnataka would be offered a solatium of Rs 15 lakh. After weeks of intense search operations, the Forest Department sourced a special 10x15 feet cage from the department in Tumakuru, and the leopard was captured in it on Friday. The leopard is suspected to be a 7 or 8-month-old male. After capturing it, officials tranquilised it and transported it to the Bannerghatta Wildlife Sanctuary outside Bengaluru.
Incidents of conflict between leopards and humans have been growing in the recent past. Most recently, tension prevailed in parts of Bengaluru after four leopards were sighted in Kengeri, Kumbalagodu, Devanahalli and surrounding areas. Home Minister Araga Jnanendra told the Karnataka Assembly on Thursday, December 22, that the leopard attacks have increased to an “imbalance in the ecosystem”. He was responding to questions regarding the rise of incidents of conflict in the state, as legislators pointed out that the attacks pose a serious threat to constituents.