Leopard Trapped and Shifted: Sustains Minor Injuries, Transferred to Tirupati SV Zoo Park
A leopard that tragically attacked and killed a six-year-old girl near the Alipiri footpath route to the Tirumala temple has been captured by forest department personnel. The incident took place three days ago, sparking concern and prompting increased security measures along the footpath route.
The leopard was trapped in one of the cages near the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, the same location where it had attacked the young girl. While being captured, the animal sustained minor injuries. As a precautionary measure, it will be relocated to the Tirupati SV Zoo Park, where it will receive treatment and undergo a test to determine if it has developed a taste for human flesh.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) Executive Officer, AV Dharma Reddy, stated that the forest department will make a decision on where to release the leopard after conducting the necessary assessments. This incident follows a similar attack on the footpath route two months ago when a three-year-old boy was injured by a leopard.
In response to these incidents, the temple body, along with the Forest and Police departments, has bolstered security measures at vulnerable points along the footpath route to the Tirumala temple. The forest department, in collaboration with trained personnel, had prepared two cages and stocked tranquilizers in anticipation of capturing the leopard.
The leopard’s movements were observed at five different locations, including Alipiri to Galigopuram, the Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, and the 38th Turning. The recent attack on six-year-old Lakshitha occurred as she was walking ahead of her parents on the footpath. Despite their frantic search, her parents could not locate her, and her body was discovered behind the Narasimha Swamy temple the following morning.
In light of these incidents, the TTD has implemented additional safety measures. Children under the age of 15 will not be permitted to trek on both footpath routes to the Tirumala temple after 2 p.m. However, pilgrims with children under 15 will still be allowed to trek from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. As a further precaution, the movement of two-wheelers has been prohibited between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.
To address the growing concerns around safety, TTD Chairman B. Karunakara Reddy will convene a high-level meeting with the TTD Executive Officer, District Collector, and Superintendent of Police. The meeting will focus on devising strategies to ensure the safety of pilgrims on both footpath routes and Ghat roads.
With the leopard now captured and transferred to the Tirupati SV Zoo Park, there is hope that the immediate threat to trekkers will be mitigated. However, the incident serves as a reminder of the need for ongoing vigilance and precautions when traversing these paths.
