BELAGAVI: Forest Minister Umesh Katti said on Monday that the leopard which has been giving sleepless nights to residents of Belagavi will be caught within the next two to three days. “The search operation will now have two elephants which will be brought from Sakrebailu in Shivamogga district,’’ he added.
Addressing a press conference after holding a meeting with officials, Umesh Katti said leopards have been sighted at four places in the Belagavi district in the past 20 days. “I am told that the leopard spotted in Chikkodi a few days ago has entered the forest in neighbouring Maharashtra via Athani.
The leopards which were earlier sighted in Mudalagi and Saundatti taluk have not appeared again in the past ten days,’’ he said. Katti said that the leopard will be darted with a tranquiliser when it is spotted next time.
As many as 120 forests and 80 police officials have been deputed for the operation, he said. Soon after a video clip of the leopard moving near the golf course fence and crossing over to the other side near Club Road on Monday went viral, forest and police officials huddled near the golf course with a large contingent of their personnel.
An elusive big cat had strayed into the posh Belagavi area
As the operation to corner the leopard picked up momentum by 11 am, the leopard came closer to the personnel who were trying to catch it but it managed to cross the road and return to the golf course. The leopard had strayed from the neighbouring forest into the posh Hanuman Nagar locality in the heart of Belagavi city two weeks ago. The elusive big cat has put a large number of people, including golfers and morning walkers, on tenterhooks.
The leopard was first sighted on August 5 at Jadhav Nagar when it attacked a mason at a construction site, before disappearing into the nearby golf course. At least 22 schools, located close to the golf course in Hanuman Nagar, have been shut down and people living in neighbouring areas have been warned to stay indoors to avoid a possible encounter with the wild animal.
The police have blocked all roads leading to the entrance of the golf course near Belgaum Club and diverted vehicles from alternative routes to avoid entry of people in areas where the operation to catch the animal is in progress.