Fear continues to stalk Sandur taluk of Ballari district after a leopard mauled a man to death in Siddapur village on Wednesday. This is the third such attack in the space of a month as two others were killed by a leopard in Sushil Nagar of the taluk in October.
The victim has been identified as Bharamalingappa (60). His body, with injuries on the face and neck, was found in a bush in the forest.
According to information reaching here, Bharamalingappa was working in his field abutting the forest when a leopard attacked a goat. He rushed to the rescue of the goat, but got mauled for his pains.
On October 12, Mahaboob Sab (54) was killed by a leopard in Sushil Nagar, and on October 25, Prakash Naik (14), met the same fate.
People had staged a rasta roko and manhandled the staff of the Forest Department for not initiating steps to trap the man-eater. The department officials then stepped up vigil and successfully killed a leopard on October 30.
On Wednesday, village residents blocked the Hospet-Sandur road and protested against the department officials’ failure to prevent further attacks. The agitators kept Bharamalingappa’s body on the road and demanded that all leopards be caught and shifted to the forest.
Officials of the Forest Department were yet to reach the village, said villagers.
