KURNOOL: Panic gripped the renowned pilgrimage centre of Srisailam once again after a leopard was spotted entering a residential premises close to the temple, raising safety concerns among residents and devotees who visit the shrine daily.
In the early hours of Friday, a leopard strayed into the house of temple priest Satyanarayana Sastri, located along the busy Pathalaganga steps route. The animal’s movement was captured on CCTV cameras, leaving the family shocked when they reviewed the footage in the morning. Family members said the incident could have turned tragic had they slept on the veranda that night.
This isn’t an isolated occurrence. Last year, a leopard had entered the same house, and another similar incident was reported in January this year. Over the past several months, frequent leopard sightings in and around Srisailam have triggered widespread fear, particularly during night hours. Leopards have been spotted at multiple locations, including Bandla Bazar, Patalaganga route, Outer Ring Road, Mallamma Kanneeru, Sakshi Ganapathi area and Shikaram. Devotees are hesitant to move freely on temple streets after dusk, while locals report sleepless nights.
On average, nearly 50,000 devotees visit Srisailam every day, adding to concerns over public safety. Forest department and Srisailam Devasthanam authorities have intensified measures. Forest officials have increased patrols, deployed emergency response teams and launched awareness programmes for residents and pilgrims. Warning advisories have been issued, urging people to remain alert and refrain from feeding stray animals.
NSTR Deputy Director of Atmakur division, Vignesh Appavu, told TNIE that human expansion into forest areas of the Nallamala range has led to increased human-wildlife encounters. He clarified that leopards don’t attack humans and are usually in search of prey. He added that waste food, coconuts and other offerings dumped near garbage yards and the Pathalaganga area are attracting them.
Following complaints from forest officials, temple authorities plan to relocate the dump yard and boost waste management. Proposals include constructing a wall between the forest zone and temple town to prevent animal intrusion. Meanwhile, two leopards entered Gaudugallu village in Kosigi mandal, Kurnool district, causing panic. Residents urged the forest department to implement measures as animal visit has become frequent.