Roaming Leopard In Patalganga Route Creates Panic Among Residents

Leopard sightings in quick succession, close to human settlements in Nandyal district, have kept the residents in Patalganga-Srisailam route, in a state of panic

Srisailam: The movement of a leopard captured on CCTV within the premises of a house near Patalganga-Srisailam route in the Nandyal district of Andhra Pradesh on the intervening night of January 5 and 6 has created panic in the area. Though the whereabouts of the animal after some hours remain unknown, it is suspected that it had ventured out from the forests nearby.

According to sources, the forest department officials, who were intimated about the incident, have asked residents to keep a vigil and not venture out after dark in areas surrounding Srisailam temple.

Suspecting it to be the same leopard that had appeared three months ago near the Parvathipuram temple on the road connecting Mahanandi and Gajulapalle, locals are a worried lot. Some devotees had then recorded the animal's movement on their mobile phones.

But recent incident has furthered their fear as the route is situated on the banks of river and surrounded by dense forests in the Nallamalas hill range.

According to conservationists, leopards are aware about their movement and they never stray. "They are aware of their territory and want to go where they want to," says Aditya Panda, a wildlife conservationist working across tiger reserves in India.