Leopard sighted on VISP premises?

In wake of the sighting of a leopard by some employees on the premises of Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Plant (VISP), a public sector unit in Bhadravathi, the Forest Department has placed a cage there.

The factory is spread over an area of 2,200 acres. Stray dogs on the premises of the factory had disappeared in a mysterious manner in the past few days. A few employees had recently told the management that they had sighted a leopard at night and so the management had requested the Forest Department to trap the animal.

Rajanna, Range Forest Officer, said the employees had captured images of pugmarks of the leopard. The advice of wildlife experts has been sought to ascertain whether the pugmarks are of the leopard or a wildcat.

The cage has been placed amidst shrubs on the factory premises with a dog as a bait. The Forest personnel have also combed the factory premises but the leopard has remained elusive, he said.