An eight-year-old male leopard died as the Forest Department officials opened fire to protect the staff members engaged in rescue operations at Byrapura near Tarikere in Chikkamagaluru on Friday.
The leopard that died due to a gunshot was responsible for the death of a five-year-old girl, besides attacking two more people in the region, according to the officers. The department staff member shot at the leopard as the animal attempted to attack the veterinarian engaged to tranquilise it.
The Forest Department launched an operation to capture the leopard after it killed Sanvi, 5, the daughter of a couple working at an areca plantation near Mundre in Tarikere taluk on November 20. The department had placed cages in many places to capture the animal. But the animal attacked Rajashekharappa, a resident of Nandi village, on November 23. Then, on November 28, it attacked 10-year-old Harish near Byrapura. The injured boy has been admitted to McGann Hospital in Shivamogga for treatment.
The local people had noticed the animal's movement close to human habitats. The people spread over 8 to 10 km around Byrapura were in fear. In light of these developments, the officials wrote to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests seeking permission to capture the animal live or dead and got the permission.
Bhadravathi DCF B.M. Ravindra Kumar said that the preparations were made to capture the animal on Friday. Three trained elephants were brought in from Sakrebailu elephant camp near Shivamogga and veterinarians were called in from Mangaluru, Bandipur, Bannerghatta and Tyavarekoppa Zoo in Shivamogga. Besides that, the leopard task force of Mysuru and the members of the elephant task force in Chikkamagaluru joined the efforts.
The staff members spotted the leopard amidst shrubs near Byrapura. Dr. Yashaswi, a veterinarian from Mangaluru, was prepared to fire a tranquilizer dart to sedate the animal. However, the animal ran out of the shrub towards the staff members, forcing the staff to open fire to protect the department staff. Later, the carcass was found at a distance from the place where it was shot.
Mr. Ravindra Kumar said that the post-mortem and other procedures would be conducted as per the guidelines of the National Tiger Conservation Authority.