Leopard on the prowl in Rail Wheel Factory in Yelahanka

For right inside the RWF campus, within city limits, a leopard was sighted prowling freely, and is still roaming around.
Forest officials and Railway Protection Force personnel at work to nab the leopard. ( Photo | EPS)
Forest officials and Railway Protection Force personnel at work to nab the leopard. ( Photo | EPS)

BENGALURU: Nearly a thousand families inside the Rail Wheel Factory (RWF) on Doddaballapur Road in Yelahanka, and over a thousand others in several multi-storeyed residential buildings surrounding the campus have been gripped by panic and tension. For right inside the RWF campus, within city limits, a leopard was sighted prowling freely and is still roaming around.

Two Railway Protection Force (RPF) constables, while on beat duty near the RWF campus periphery, sighted a leopard sneaking into the campus. To confirm what they had seen, the duo dashed to the CCTV control room where their fears were confirmed, said a senior RPF cop.

This is the first time a leopard has entered the area and forest department officials, who were alerted later, have confirmed that it is female. The footage revealed that the wild cat had made its entry at 11.08 pm from near the RWF lake area, an isolated spot.

“The forest department was alerted on Sunday morning. They reached around 9.30 am and are still camping at the spot to catch it. They have brought a cage to catch it, and have laid a trap and are waiting. The wait continues at 9 pm,” he said.

RWF manufacturing units are closed on Sunday. “Nearly 1,000 families of our employees reside in RWF colonies on our campus, and as a precautionary move we have alerted them not to step outside their homes,” a top RWF official said.

The area is surrounded by multi-storeyed apartments and their residential associations have also been alerted about the incident, urging all to stay safe indoors.

Meera Srinivasan, one of the residents living within one kilometer of RWF, said, “The sighting of a leopard on RWF campus has come as a shock to us. The area is infested with snakes but never in our wildest dreams did we think a leopard could be prowling here. Many years ago, a leopard was sighted at Attur in Yelahanka when it was not so populated as it is now.” The RPF has cordoned off the spot where the animal was sighted.

“A total of 15 personnel, both from forest department and RPF, are silently waiting and keeping an eye out for it to make a move if it is still inside the campus. But the chances of it stepping out are much higher in the nights,” he added.

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