Bengaluru, February 22: Residents of northwest Bengaluru have been on their guard ever since a leopard ventured into the area and killed a calf on February 19 night. Forest department officials have been on high alert as they aim to capture and rescue the big cat.

A forest officer said that the leopard attacked the calf of Dasanapura resident Ramanjinappa and devoured it near an agricultural field on Sunday night. The incident came to light the next morning when Ramanjinappa went out in search of the calf, which had not returned to its shed the previous night. Leopard Spotted at Ghaziabad Court Campus for Third Time in 10 Days, Bar Association Observes Strike Over Sightings (Watch Video).

The forest officials have placed a cage on the outskirts of Dasanapura, hoping to trap the leopard. TOI quoted Range forest officer, Bengaluru, TN Tyagaraj as saying that they are scouring the area. Forest officials have not come across any hard evidence like pug marks to confirm movements of the leopard. Still, not wanting to take a risk, officials are combing the entire area. Leopard Scare in Jharkhand: Panic Grips People As Wild Cats Turn Maneaters, Kill 5 People in 25 Days; Attendance in Schools Fall Marginally.

Two leopards and two cubs were spotted in four separate instances in Dasanapura and Ramanjaneya Layout nearby last week. These were areas once crowded with leopards that moved around in the forests and hillocks bordering Bengaluru like Shivagange and Devarayanadurga near Tumakuru, Savandurga near Magadi and other hillocks near Bidadi-Ramanagara.

Earlier, faced with back-to-back leopard attacks in the state, especially in southern districts, the forest department has decided not to release rescued or captured leopards back into the forests and instead, hold them at 'rescue centres' to be set up at various zones.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 22, 2023 09:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).