Leopard still on the prowl in Belagavi; 22 schools closed

BELAGAVI: Forest department personnel have been striving hard to catch a leopard for the past seven days, that is prowling in the golf course here, that is spread over 250 acres, in the heart of the city. Despite several efforts, and the use of different techniques, the department has fallen short of trapping the big cat.
Due to the leopard menace, deputy commmissioner Nitesh Patil has announced a holiday for 22 schools in a 2 km radius surrounding the golf course. The public is blaming the inefficiency of the forest personnel, and their lack of seriousness, for the delay in trapping the leopard. However, the officials of the department have their own reasons to justify the delay in trapping the leopard.
The leopard was first spotted on August 4 at Jadhav Nagar. On the same day, it injured a construction worker. After two days, it was found on the golf course. For the past four days, the district administration has given holidays to the schools in the area. The police have blocked entry for morning and evening walkers to the golf course, which comes under the defence department. Police also appealed to the public not to go out unnecessarily.
The pressure of catching the leopard is mounting on forest officials, with the delay in the success of the operation. More than 50 forest personnel, including experts and doctors, armed with tranquillisers, have been engaged in the operation. Around 16 sensor cameras have been installed around the golf course, to trace the leopard. Despite that, the leopard has been able to evade the personnel engaged in the operation.
Seven traps have been kept inside the golf course, along with bait. According to range forest officer Rakesh Arjunwad, on Wednesday, a forest personnel sat inside the cage from 10 pm to 7am along with tranquillisers, but in vain. There was a plan to tranquillise the big cat by sitting inside the cage, but the animal did not turn up. The department has tried to use drone cameras for the operation, but it’s not working, due to low signal and continuous rain.
Ashok Chandaragi, president of Belagavi District Action Committee of Kannada Organisations, demanded that in-charge deputy conservator of forests Anthony Mariappa ensure that the leopard is trapped at the earliest, by calling in experts in trapping wild animals.