Forest department gropes in dark over leopard visit to village

Kochi: Residents of the Karukutty pachayat, nearly 10 kms from Angamaly, are spending sleepless nights with forest department failing to trap two leopards that have strayed in to the region.

The wild cats were first spotted at a pine apple farm in Palissery, on Monday, when they attacked the laborers there. An Orissa native, Suda Dudari (25), was injured in the attack.

“The wild cats sneaked into the village from near-by forest. As per the foot prints, one is a grown up and the other a cub. Villagers have made several attempts to trap them, but in vain. Finally we’ve brought a cage from Kodanad and laid a trap. But so far we’ve had no luck in finding the beasts,” said DFO K. Abdul Nazarkunju.

Around 15 forest personnel are staying there and people have been asked not to venture out of their houses, after evening. During day-time, they should go out only in groups, the officer said. 

The beasts were spotted in the house premises of several villagers in the night as the leopards are currently targeting domestic animals.

“As of now, we think they are not man-eaters, but they might attack humans as they are a pair,” the officer said.