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by IANS |
Chamarajanagara (Karnataka), Jan 21 (IANS) A pilgrimage to Male Mahadeshwara Hill ended in tragedy after a leopard attacked and killed a youth in the Talubetta forest area of Karnataka. The incident came to light on Wednesday and has raised concern, as lakhs of devotees use the same route for the annual padyatra.
The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Praveen, who was travelling with four friends. The group began their journey on foot from Cheeranahalli village in Mandya district. The attack occurred late at night while they were walking along the roadside near Male Mahadeshwara Hill.
Preliminary reports indicate the group spotted the leopard perched on a roadside retaining wall, triggering a panic. While the pilgrims escaped in different directions, Praveen went missing. His companions later discovered bloodstains near the spot where he was last seen and alerted the authorities, as he could not be traced in the nearby areas.
On Wednesday morning, forest department officials and police launched a search operation. Praveen’s body was later found in a gorge inside the forest. Officials said the leopard had mauled him, inflicting severe injuries to his neck, chest, and head, and dragged the body nearly one km into the forest.
When the body was located, the leopard was still present and feeding on the remains. As the forest staff and police did not have crackers or firearms, they faced difficulty in driving the animal away before retrieving the body. The operation to bring the body out of the dense terrain was slow and arduous.
Preliminary investigations suggest that Praveen was attacked after he fell while trying to escape. A case has been registered, and further inquiry is underway.
Every year, lakhs of devotees undertake a pilgrimage to Male Mahadeshwara Hill on foot, passing through long forest stretches.
Local residents expressed anger over the incident and alleged negligence by forest officials, claiming that leopard movement in the area had been noticed earlier and reported.
In a similar incident on November 20 last year, a five-year-old girl, Sanvi, was attacked and carried away by a leopard while playing near a shed on an arecanut farm at Madure village around 6 p.m. Her father, Basavaraj, witnessed the attack and tried to chase the animal, but failed to save her.
The family had migrated from Kammatgiri in Hungund taluk of Bagalkot district, more than 350 km away, in search of work in Tarikere taluk of Chikkamagaluru district.
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