Karnataka’s forest department said Wednesday that a leopard that had attacked two people during a combing operation succumbed to injuries after it was shot by an official in the Bengaluru suburb of Singasandra.
“The leopard had already attacked two people during the combing operation. It became very dangerous. A veterinarian and a forest official were attacked. When the veterinarian was trying to tranquillise the leopard, it scratched him on his neck. Today, a shot was fired to neutralise it after it attacked the forest official. It was taken to a veterinary hospital in Bannerghatta, where it succumbed,” a forest official involved in the operation told indianexpress.com.
Officials said they had got permission to shoot the leopard if necessary. The animal was spotted at the apartment complex in Kudlu Gate in Singasandra four days ago. The veterinarian attacked by the leopard said the animal died at 2 am on Wednesday.
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife) Subhash Malkhede said, “The veterinarian received a minor injury by the leopard while he was trying to tranquillise it. He was taken to a hospital. We had zeroed in on the leopard’s location. However, it was inaccessible due to thick vegetation.”
Over 70 officials and other staffers of the forest department were involved in the combing operation and a team from Mysuru had also arrived to capture the leopard. Police were monitoring the situation.
Advertisement
On Tuesday, Environment Minister Eshwar Khandre said the forest department was using modern technologies like thermal imaging cameras and drones to capture the leopard. He said the animal could have come from the Bannerghatta National Park. “After the capture of the leopard, its health status will be checked and it will be released back into the forest area,” he added.
Over 70 officials and other staffers of the forest department were involved in the combing operation 
Share
