Leopard shot after 3-day search in B'luru

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Foresters shot dead the elusive leopard on Wednesday that had scared Bengaluru residents for the past five days.

After three days of intense search operations, forest department officials tracked the wild cat in the city's outskirts at Kudlu Gate near Electronic City in Bengaluru South.

They had set a cage and tried to trap the leopard and when their efforts failed, shots were fired, officials said. Chief Conservator of Forest S S Lingaraja told reporters, "The leopard had attacked the veterinary doctor Kiran and one more staff member. They were grievously injured. It jumped to attack one more staff. So, he shot it in self defense. We tried to revive it (the leopard) in Bannerghatta but it died," he added.

Lingaraja said the Chief Wildlife Warden had given permission to shoot it when it started attacking people grievously. Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Kumar Pushkar said that the entire operation was taking place since morning.

The leopard could not be caught alive. It was traced from Kudlu Gate and all efforts were made.

"When it was found that it was not possible to capture it alive, since it was very aggressive and attacking people…. Three of our staff, including a veterinarian, were attacked while they were trying to catch it."