A leopard that had terrorized villagers in Gajendragad taluk, Gadag, was successfully captured by forest officials on Wednesday. The female leopard had been hiding in the hills of Vadegol village, prompting complaints from residents. A cage was set up in the area, and the animal was trapped early Wednesday morning before being relocated to Binkadakatti Zoo in Gadag.
For days, villagers from Kalakaleshwar, Ganga Nagar, Kuntoji, Lakkalakatti, Nagendragad, and nearby areas were on edge due to frequent leopard sightings. The predator had reportedly killed a sheep and a dog belonging to Veeresh Malottar of Vadegol, leaving farmers afraid to visit their fields.
Even after being caged, the leopard’s roaring alarmed locals. Residents voiced concerns that more leopards might be roaming the region’s hills, lakes, and fields, as sightings have been reported since 2021. They urged forest officials to conduct regular and comprehensive combing operations instead of acting only after public complaints.
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