CCF confirms leopard killed girl on Tirumala pathway

 TIRUPATI: Tirupati Wildlife Management chief conservator of forests (CCF) P. Nageswara Rao has confirmed that a leopard had attacked six-year-old Lakshita on August 12, leading to her death. This puts an end to speculation that a sloth bear had killed her.

Forest authorities have captured two leopards by placing cages along the Alipiri-Tirumala pathway. They are still to determine which of the two killed Lakshita.

Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, CCF Nageswara Rao said post-mortem examination has definitively established the leopard's involvement in the tragic incident.

“While the autopsy has provided conclusive evidence of the leopard attack, we are awaiting lab reports to confirm which of the two captured leopards is responsible for Lakshita's death,” he said.

Responding to growing concerns of encounters with wild animals along the two trekking routes of Tirumala, the CCF maintained that significant measures have been taken to counter them.

“Around 400 trap cameras have been set up along the pedestrian routes to Tirumala to monitor the movements of leopards and sloth bears. Just recently, forest officials tracked the movement of a leopard and a sloth bear in the early hours of Wednesday along the route to Tirumala,” he disclosed.

“Around 100 forest department personnel took up an operation to capture these two animals. However, both the leopard and the sloth bear narrowly managed to escape. Forest staff attempted to tranquilise the bear, but it managed to evade them. However, we are continuing our efforts to capture the two,” Nageswara Rao underlined.

The CCF urged devotees not to panic and follow the safety guidelines issued by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and forest department while using the Tirumala walkways.