Leopard attacks woman in Bannerghatta; non-AC safari buses halted after incident

Bengaluru: A 56-year-old woman was attacked by a leopard while on a safari at the Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP) on Thursday. 

Vahitha Banu, 56, suffered minor injuries on her hand after a leopard scratched her hand while trying to climb the safari vehicle.

The incident is said to have occurred at around 1 pm on Thursday while the victim was on a safari in a non-AC bus.

“The victim sustained a minor injury to her hand when a leopard, while attempting to climb onto the bus, accidentally clawed her. She was immediately taken to the nearest hospital for first aid and was examined for any further injuries,” a statement by the BBP said.

Just three months ago (in August), a 12-year-old boy was injured similarly when a leopard attacked him and left scratches on his arm during the safari.

‘Stop non-AC safari services’

Following back-to-back such incidents, the BBP has now decided to stop non-AC safari services indefinitely.

“All the safari drivers were warned about the previous incident of leopard attack and were instructed to take precautionary safety measures inside the leopard safari. However, the authorities are reviewing the incident and non-AC Bus Safari will be stopped indefinitely till further communication and the buses will be assessed for complete safety during the downtime,” the statement by BBP said.

This, however, is expected to burn the pockets of visitors since a non-AC safari costs only Rs 370 per adult and the cost goes up to Rs 690 for an AC bus safari.