Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, May 18: An operation aimed at capturing a man-eater leopard that is on the prowl is on in Magadi taluk of Ramanagara district. Meanwhile, four leopards were found trapped in cages installed for the killer leopard on Sunday, May 17.

The forest department said that the man-eater leopard has not yet fallen into this trap. The killer leopard, which took away a three-year-old boy from Kadirenahalli Hemanth and a 68-year-old woman from Kottaganahalli named Gangamma, has not so far fallen into the 12 traps laid by the forest department in the area. Grown-up leopards were found in the traps laid out in Bodaganapalya and Sidaganahalli areas while two small leopard cubs aged three to four years were found trapped in Dasegowdana Halli.

In the meantime, a leopard attacked a pet dog on Somadevanahalli hill in Solur revenue division in the district. This was recorded on video by a villager. In another incident, two leopards dragged a pet dog away from Narayanapura within Belagumba gram panchayat limits.

The forest minister Anand Singh said that the people themselves should be held accountable for most of the attacks. He said that steps are being taken to dig borewells inside the forest area to make water available for animals there. He also felt that people should not frequent the places that are often visited by animals. The minister also confirmed that a proposal has been sent to enhance compensation in case of death due to wildlife attack to Rs 10 lac from the current Rs 7.5 lac.