Weeks on, officials fail to capture leopard in Belagavi

The leopard had attacked and injured a construction worker in Jadhav Nagaron August 5 and since then border district has been put on high alert with schools, colleges and other institutions remaining closed as a precaution. The officials from forest and police department involved in capturing the wild animal have come under fire for failing to capture the big cat.

Weeks after a leopard was spotted at different locations within the city limits in Karnataka’s Belagavi, the ongoing hunt to capture the wild animal has failed to produce any results so far.

Weeks after a leopard was spotted at different locations within the city limits in Karnataka’s Belagavi, the ongoing hunt to capture the wild animal has failed to produce any results so far. (HT Photo)

The leopard had attacked and injured a construction worker in Jadhav Nagaron August 5 and since then border district has been put on high alert with schools, colleges and other institutions remaining closed as a precaution.

The officials from forest and police department involved in capturing the wild animal have come under fire for failing to capture the big cat.

The operation to capture the big cat has over 100 personnel from the forest and police department in the squad, who have only been able to capture the leopard’s picture that has strayed into human settlements.

“Capturing wild animals is not as easy as other animals as leopards are wise and run fast. The leopard was surrounded by the operating teams on Club Road near Vanita Vidyalaya school on August 22 but the wild animal escaped by crossing the 30-feet width double road just in 4-5 seconds,” said chief conservator of forests, Belagavi, Manjunath Chavan.

“Most of the people in the team were given lathis and helmets as there were no protective outfits for such kind of operation. Such an occasion (of leopard sighting) is rare for this area. It is the first instance for the forest and police department officials and should not be termed as a failed or flop operation,” Chavan said.

“The guns loaded with anaesthetic bullets did not work when the leopard was crossing the double road,” a person in the know of the developments said on Thursday.

A video of the leopard crossing the Club Road near the military area, shot by a bus driver, was circulated widely on social media on Monday.

Since then, the entire operation has become an issue of ridicule on social media with netizens slamming the officials for the lack of equipment required to capture such wild animals .

“The frontline team involved in capturing the wild animal consists of Class IV and constable grade staff. They were trying to capture the animal with lathis and their face covered with helmets. The forest department had brought thin nets — used for rabbits and wild dogs — to capture the wild cat. The lives of the personnel tasked with capturing the animal was put at risk,” said a local resident, who did not wish to be named.

With shrinking tree cover and shortage of food within forests, several wild animals are reportedly moving into human settlements where small animals are often the target, adding to the growing human-animal conflict in several parts of the state.

Meanwhile, Karnataka’s minister for food, civil supplies and consumer affairs Umesh Katti criticised the process, stating that the department had sent “pig catchers” to capture the leopard.

However, Katti added: “All the facilities, including protective outfits and weapons will be provided to the operating troops to catch the animal alive.” “The leopard will be captured soon,” he assured.

“The animal escaped as both the police and forest department had no previous experience. Most among them have seen such a wild animal for the first time and such an operation is also being carried out for the first time in this part of the state,” said Belagavi deputy commissioner Nitesh Patil.

Now, the forest officials, along with police personnel, have also roped in dogs and elephants to catch the leopard. The forest authorities are using two elephants from Sakrebailu in Shivamogga district. Professional dart shooters have also been roped in to capture the leopard, said persons in the know of development. Six guns which fix laser light on the targeted animal and then shoot have also been procured, said the person citied above.

Earlier, leopards have also been spotted on the outskirts of Bengaluru where large residential apartments have come up which earlier used to be forest or open lands. There are around 2000 leopards in Karnataka.