A leopard was spotted on a school campus at Belagumba on the outskirts of Tumakuru on Monday morning, causing panic among the students and teachers.
The leopard chasing a stray dog strayed into the residential school for speech and hearing impaired, run by Indian Red Cross Society, at the base of a hillock. After the panic-stricken students and teachers screamed, the big cat grabbing the dog by the neck ran away.
The leopard entered the school premises at 9 am on Monday. It ran away after the students screamed in panic. Hundreds of specially abled kids are studying in the school from various districts. The local villagers and children are in panic.
“We have sighted leopards several times in the last three years. The Forest department should take steps to catch the big cats,” said Belagumba villagers.
The Forest and police officials visited the school and obtained information from teachers and students.
RFO Namitha told DH, “Since the CCTV cameras at the school are not working, there is no footage of
leopard straying into school and the village. However, we have placed a cage near the school to catch the big cat.”