An injured leopard attacks a forest dept employee during a rescue operation near Anagodu on the busy Bengaluru-Pune NH-48 in Davanagere district.
The drama unfolded along the busy Bengaluru-Pune National Highway 48 after the leopard, suspected to have been hit by a speeding vehicle late Monday night, was found badly injured in a grass-covered roadside drain. Locals who spotted the animal alerted the forest department, setting off a rescue mission that would soon leave one forest watcher injured. Bengaluru: What began as a desperate attempt to save an injured leopard turned into a high-stakes operation on Tuesday morning, when the wounded big cat suddenly charged at forest personnel who had moved in to secure it near Anagodu in Davanagere district.
The operation began around 8 am. With hundreds of people gathering at the spot, more than 20 forest personnel were involved in the operation, while managing the crowd and highway traffic emerged as an added challenge. At one point, traffic on NH-48 had to be temporarily halted to prevent people from getting too close to the injured animal.
You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bengaluru | Silver Rate in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Petrol Price in Bengaluru | Diesel Price in Bengaluru | CNG Price in Bengaluru | LPG Price in Bengaluru Stay updated with the latest Bengaluru news.
Sources in the forest department said the leopard had spent hours in agony, nursing injuries to its left eye and hip bone. Forest minister Ramalinga Reddy said officials had responded after receiving information from locals and had summoned veterinary experts from Hampi to safely rescue and treat the injured leopard. But with hundreds of people crowding the spot, tension mounted. The injured leopard repeatedly attempted to lunge at people, keeping the rescuers on edge. When the veterinary team finally got a clear shot, a tranquiliser dart was fired from a safe distance and the leopard appeared to succumb to the sedative. Believing the animal was unconscious, forest personnel cautiously moved in to secure the leopard. However, in less than a few seconds, the rescue mission turned into a fight for survival. The leopard suddenly sprang to its feet and charged at the approaching staff, catching them completely off guard. In the ensuing chaos, forest watcher Marulasiddappa was attacked. Karnataka Muzrai, fisheries, ports and inland transport minister KS Basavanthappa visited the hospital and enquired about the forest dept employee’s condition and injuries. The injured leopard, however, was too weak to sustain the assault on the foresters. It quickly retreated into the grass-covered drain, leaving the rescuers scrambling to get their injured colleague to safety. Marulasiddappa was immediately rushed to hospital for treatment. With the failure of their first tranquilisation attempt, forest personnel and veterinarians backed away and waited for another opportunity. The leopard remained concealed in the grassy drain, forcing the rescuers to proceed with extreme caution. The veterinary expert eventually darted the leopard in second shot. Once the leopard was fully immobilised, forest personnel moved in, secured the animal and carefully lifted it into a vehicle. It was subsequently taken for treatment to Tyavarekoppa in adjoining Shivamogga district The rescue operation underscored the need for proper coordination between multiple departments during wildlife rescues in high-traffic areas. Download the TOI App.
