Morning walkers on the campus of Sri Venkateswara University (SVU) encountered disturbing scenes, here on Sunday, as they came across the mangled carcasses of two calves, reportedly attacked by a leopard, near the Oriental Research Institute (ORI) building.
According to sources, a couple of walkers reported the incident to university officials, who in turn, alarmed by the situation, requested the Forest Department to ascertain the cause of the animals death.
Speaking to The Hindu , Divisional Forest Officer (Tirupati) M. Nagarjuna Reddy remarked that the incident might have occurred in the early hours of Sunday, and confirmed that the attack was made by a leopard. Owing to the consecutive attacks of the calves, the Forest Department officials suspect that the animal to be a mother (leopard) with cubs and added that they must have deviated from their regular hunting trails in Seshachalam forests.
“We, along with the security officials of the varsity, will be patrolling across the campus for the next few days, to observe the movement of the animal. After straying into the human habitations, the animal usually returns to its regular path in the forest without any delay, but we want to ensure that it has completely left the premises,” maintained Mr. Reddy.
Besides this, the Forest Department officials have laid out an advisory for the varsity students and staff such as: increasing lightning in campus, clearing overgrown shrubs and bushes, staying indoors from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m./6 a.m., proper waste management (of food at hostels & mess), walking in groups and ensuring stray animals such as cows and dogs do not roam across the varsity premises, as a precautionary measure.
SVU Vice-Chancellor A. Damodaram, accompanied by the Forest Department officials, visited the spot and ensured that steps would be taken to prevent such incidents in the future.
Report sought
District Collector P.S. Pradyumna enquired about the situation and directed the Forest Department officials to submit a detailed report on the incident.
