Himalaya Harbinger, Rudrapur Bureau
A leopard that had been roaming Bengaluru’s Electronic City for the past two weeks, instilling fear among residents and IT employees, has been captured. The big cat, first spotted near the Electronic City toll plaza, was eventually caught after being monitored through CCTV footage
We had placed three cages in different spots across Electronic City over the last 15 days,” said Bengaluru Rural Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) B. Ravindra. “The leopard, estimated to be around 4-5 years old, was finally trapped near the helipad, a secluded spot where it had been frequenting. After a medical examination, it will be relocated to a forest near Mysuru,” he added
Once alerted to the animal’s presence, the forest department took action. A team was deployed, and surveillance cameras were set up to track the leopard’s movements. Traps were placed in isolated areas where the leopard was believed to be hiding.
In recent days, cameras captured multiple sightings of the big cat, particularly near the helipad in Electronic City. This isolated area seemed to provide the perfect cover for the leopard, which avoided crowded spaces. The forest department intensified its operations, using bait to lure the animal into the trap.
After several days of effort, the leopard was successfully captured at night near the helipad. The operation has brought relief to the residents and IT employees of Electronic City, putting an end to weeks of anxiety.
The Leopard Task Force in Bengaluru had ramped up its efforts to locate a leopard. According to news agency ANI, the Task Force had commenced a series of announcements near the toll gates at Electronic City to alert residents and commuters about the ongoing search operations.
This recent sighting follows another leopard being spotted at BRS layout of Bengaluru’s Jigani area, leading officials to speculate that it might be the same leopard. Since Jigani is located near the Bannerghatta forest, there could have been a possibility that a leopard wandered out from the forest.
