Credit: Special arrangement
Rattihalli (Haveri district): A 32-year-old farmer died while his elder brother sustained severe injuries in a leopard attack on Friday night at Kanavishiddagere village in Rattihalli taluk.
The deceased has been identified as Beerappa Hanumanthappa Balagavi. His elder brother Ganesh Hanumanthappa Balagavi was severely injured and is under treatment at district hospital in Haveri. The leopard pounced on the brothers when they were irrigating maize in their land.
MLA U B Banakar met the family members of the deceased and handed over a cheque for Rs 10 lakh towards the ex gratia sanctioned by the Forest department. He promised another Rs 10 lakh from the government.
Residents alleged that a leopard had been straying into the village for the past two months and the Forest department was negligent in taking action despite a complaint.