Hubballi: The sighting of a leopard on the airport road connecting Tarihal Bridge and Gamanagatti last week has triggered widespread fear among residents of nearby villages. Following the sighting on Dec 23, many villagers said they were afraid to step out of their homes.Despite intensified efforts by the forest department, the leopard has not yet been captured. Officials have installed three cages and set up 11 CCTV cameras in the area. Although the animal has been spotted on CCTV footage, it has so far avoided the cages. Residents demanded that the leopard be captured at the earliest.Local residents captured footage of the leopard on their mobile phones, confirming suspicions that circulated for a week. Reports that the same leopard was also spotted in Renuka Nagar under Gokul Road further heightened anxiety. Though there were suspicions of leopard movement for several days, official confirmation came only after video footage surfaced on Dec 23.HDMC ward No. 31 corporator Shankarappa Harijan said residents were living in fear and hesitant to step outside. He noted that the forest department had intensified search operations over the past week. Around 15 forest personnel are actively patrolling the airport area, and he expressed hope that the leopard would be captured soon.RS Uppar, range forest officer of the Hubballi division, said forest officials immediately inspected the area after the sighting was reported. He added that the leopard has been roaming the area and continues to be monitored through CCTV surveillance. Uppar assured residents that efforts were ongoing and the big cat would be captured at the earliest.
