Leopardess that killed two captured in Tumakuru

Cages had been set up at 18 places to net the big cat

A four-year-old leopardess, believed to have killed a woman at Bannikuppe in Tumakuru taluk and a man at Doddamaralavadi in Kunigal taluk, has been captured by the Forest Department on Wednesday.

The leopardess was found trapped in a cage placed by the department at Gidadapalya village in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district.

Range Forest Officer Nataraj H.L. told

The Hindu that they had placed the cages at 18 places where the leopardess was sighted by villagers.

40 camera traps

Murali, veterinarian, said: “The department had laid 40 camera traps in that area from which they have confirmed that it is the same leopardess that had killed the woman and man in the district a few months back. Their deaths had created a lot of panic among the villagers.”

The big cat had killed Lakshmamma, 58, near Bannikuppe in Tumakuru taluk on October 17, 2019, and attacked Anandaiah, 60, who was minding sheep on the outskirts of Doddamaralavadi in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district. Later, he succumbed to injuries at the Kunigal taluk government hospital on November 29. The villagers had staged a protest demanding that the animal be captured.

The captured leopardess will be released into the Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru, said the Forest Department.