BENGALURU: A three-year-old boy, who was sleeping next to his mother in their house near Magadi, was dragged out and killed by a leopard on Friday midnight. The child’s family had kept the door open as it was too hot when the leopard sneaked in.
The incident occurred at Kadaraiahanapalya in Ramanagara district. C Hemanth, was the second son of Chandrappa and Mangala Gowri from Dodderi near Kumbalagodu. Chandrappa is an agriculturist while Gowri is a homemaker. Following relaxation of lockdown curbs, Gowri along with Hemanth had come to her parents’ house in Kadaraiahnapalya on May 5. Chandrappa had dropped them on his motorbike and returned on May 6.
According to forest officials, the leopard entered the house post midnight through the main door. “Due to the heat, occupants of the house house had opened the main door in the night. Gowri’s parents slept near the kitchen while Gowri and Hemanth slept near the door,” a forest official said. During the early hours, the leopard is said to have sneaked in, grabbed the sleeping boy by his shoulder and disappeared into the shrubs.
“Around 5am, Hemant’s mother noticed his absence. First she searched for him in and around the house and later alerted her parents. Sensing something amiss, Gowri’s father alerted the villagers. A search party was formed in less than 30 minutes, which recovered the boy’s half-eaten body near a bush around 300 meters from the house. Pug marks of the leopard confirmed the act,” a forest official said. “We are combing the vicinity and have placed cages in four different spots,” said another official.
The incident occurred at Kadaraiahanapalya in Ramanagara district. C Hemanth, was the second son of Chandrappa and Mangala Gowri from Dodderi near Kumbalagodu. Chandrappa is an agriculturist while Gowri is a homemaker. Following relaxation of lockdown curbs, Gowri along with Hemanth had come to her parents’ house in Kadaraiahnapalya on May 5. Chandrappa had dropped them on his motorbike and returned on May 6.
According to forest officials, the leopard entered the house post midnight through the main door. “Due to the heat, occupants of the house house had opened the main door in the night. Gowri’s parents slept near the kitchen while Gowri and Hemanth slept near the door,” a forest official said. During the early hours, the leopard is said to have sneaked in, grabbed the sleeping boy by his shoulder and disappeared into the shrubs.
“Around 5am, Hemant’s mother noticed his absence. First she searched for him in and around the house and later alerted her parents. Sensing something amiss, Gowri’s father alerted the villagers. A search party was formed in less than 30 minutes, which recovered the boy’s half-eaten body near a bush around 300 meters from the house. Pug marks of the leopard confirmed the act,” a forest official said. “We are combing the vicinity and have placed cages in four different spots,” said another official.
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