Mysuru/Chamarajanagar: Panic briefly gripped a section of pilgrims trekking to Male Mahadeshwara Hills Temple on Tuesday after a minor boy claimed he was attacked by a leopard on the forest route. Forest and police officials, however, denied that any leopard attack took place, saying the injury was likely caused by bushes along the path.The incident comes barely three weeks after a pilgrim was killed in a leopard attack in the MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, keeping devotees and authorities on high alert.
According to available information, the incident occurred around 11.15am near the seventh curve from Thaalabetta, the foothill point from where devotees begin their ascent to the hill shrine. The boy, Shreyas, from Channapatna taluk in Ramanagar district, was trekking with three women when he reportedly screamed and claimed that a leopard had tried to attack him. He sustained an injury to his ear.Shreyas was taken to the MM Hills PHC for treatment and later proceeded to have darshan at the temple before returning with his family.MM Hills Wildlife Sanctuary DCF B Bhaskar said there was no evidence of an animal attack. He said forest staff rushed to the location soon after receiving the alert and scanned the area. While a leopard was found in the vicinity earlier, Bhaskar said the boy’s injury could have been caused by a thorny bush as he passed through the forest stretch.Chamarajanagar SP M Muththuraj also rejected the claim of a leopard attack. He said the route passes through forest where leopards are present, but added that precautions have been strengthened after the Jan death of a pilgrim. Killer leopard still on the prowl?Meanwhile, questions continue over the Jan fatal attack. Two days after a leopard killed 31-year-old Praveen from Mandya, officials trapped a leopard seen on camera, but sources said FSL reports did not provide conclusive evidence that the captured animal was the killer big cat. Praveen was one among 100 pilgrims when the tragedy happened. He was dragged deep into forest by a leopard and later was found dead. Though foresters claimed they trapped the leopard caught on camera, there is still doubt about it. DCF Bhaskar confirmed the lab findings were inconclusive but claimed the leopard did not consume human flesh.
