Leopard sends Chikkamagaluru into a tailspin

Mangalore Today News Network

Chikkamagaluru, July 24, 2015: A leopard that strolled into Chikkamagaluru on Thursday created panic among residents as it roamed around the heart of the city and eventually entered a school. Some of the members of the staff and onlookers were able to lock the animal in one of the classrooms, and it was eventually tranquillised and taken away by the Forest Department.

 

Three persons, including a driver of the Forest Department, suffered injuries.

It was a scary experience for people in Vijayanagar and neighbouring areas when they spotted the animal in the morning on the premises of Kadur Club. They ran helter-skelter.

It was close to noon when the leopard, believed to be around eight years, entered TMS School premises next to Kadur Club and panic ensued. However, the school staff and public managed to trap the leopard when it entered the photocopying room. The management declared a holiday for the rest of the day and sent the children back home.

Forest Department officers, led by Deputy Conservator of Forests, were intimated about the leopard’s presence in the town and they reached the spot only after the leopard entered the school. Ganesh, driver of the DCF’s vehicle, was injured on his right shoulder when the animal caught him as he tried to close the window of the room.

The officers alerted a team of veterinarians from the Government Veterinary College in Shivamogga. Doctors Vinay and Dhanalakshmi arrived around 5 p.m. with a tranquilliser dart and gun. Dr. Vinay fired the tranquilliser and the animal was caught in half an hour. As the news spread, hundreds of people gathered around the school, prompting the policemen to resort to mild lathi-charge to disperse them.

A few residents of the city had spotted movement of a leopard near Gowdanahalli Industrial Area on the outskirts of the city recently. Santosh, a resident of the city, told The Hindu that four days ago, he had spotted a leopard near Gowdanahalli on the way to his native place. “It looks like the same animal entered the city in search of dogs,” he said.

 

Courtesy: The hindu