[IN - Bangalore] Leopard strays into Hosur-Bangalore

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

I missed out on posting this! Incident took place on the 19th of August.

Photo available in this link:

http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/19/stories/2007081953650500.htm

 

Thanks, Pablo.

 

 

*As reported in TOI:*

 

HOSUR/ANCHATTI: What if a leopard lands in the middle of a busy commercial

area on a weekend? Exciting, but scary too, isn't it? That's exactly what

happened at the industrial town of Hosur, 48 km from Bangalore, on Saturday

morning when a huge, male leopard strayed into the town.

 

It was first spotted at the Rama Temple on the busy Netaji Road around 9 am

by a temple priest. He raised an alarm, but before he could run out, he was

mauled. The big cat, which can build speeds of up to 40 miles per hour,

reached the nearby Sukuma Shopping Complex in a flash. The crowded complex

emptied out in minutes, with traders downing shutters and fleeing.

 

Soon, news of leopard spread and 10,000 people gathered at the shopping

complex. The crowd led to traffic jams, which reached till the National

Highway-7 that passes through the town.

 

Some in the crowd threw stones infuriating the animal, which charged

injuring a few people. Disturbed by the melee, it vanished into the

basement.

 

When the police, fire and forest officials failed to capture the animal,

they alerted the Bannerghatta National Park authorities. A team, led by

assistant veterinary officer G K Vishwanath, rushed to Hosur and

tranquillised the animal.

 

The authorities released it in the Anchatti forest, an hour's driver from

Hosur, around 8 pm. The operation was rushed through, as the effect of

tranquilliser shot was to vane after 90 minutes. Forest department officials

said the animal might have come from Denkanikottai forest, 24 km from the

town, looking to hunt stray dogs.

 

At the end, six persons, including a woman Reserve Police constable, had

suffered injuries inflicted by the leopard. The cop's condition is critical