TUMKUR: The leopard which killed six-year-old Kiran Kumar at Hullenahalli near Tiptur was found trapped in a cage on Tuesday early morning. After the veterinarians examined its health, the man eater was shifted to Tavarekoppa Wildlife Sanctuary in Shimoga district.
Since the leopard could attack humans, it will not be left free in the safari, but kept at a zoo, informed Deputy Conservator of Forests U P Singh.
The wild cat had snatched the boy on Sunday at around 7 pm, while he was on his way to Beeralingeshwara temple with his grandmother. The body was discovered on Monday morning.
By evening, the forest department had laid a trap to catch the predator. They placed a cage at the same spot where Kiran's body was found. A live sheep was tied in the cage, instead of a dog which did not work in an earlier attempt. At around 6 am on Tuesday, the leopard was lured by the sheep, which it had killed by then.
Assistant Conservator of Forests Mugudappa and Range Forest Officer Jayakumar visited the spot and decided to shift the wild cat to Tavarekoppa.
The villagers demanded that all the 10 leopards (as assessed by the Forest Department) from Tiptur area be caught and shifted to their natural habitat in the dense forests.
DCF Singh said that the department has no plan to catch all of them at present, as it will be a neverending exercise. If they are found dangerous we can launch operations, he added.