Forest officials try to release leopard near village: Locals protest

Karkala:  It’s a common sight for the people of Mala that forest officials often release the captured wild animals in the village. But on Wednesday December 31 the scene was a little different. On Wednesday locals forcefully dispelled the forest officials as they were allegedly trying to release a captured leopard near the inhabited village Mala.

The incident occurred near Kadari bridge in Karkala. The leopard was caught in a trap in Venur forest area covering Naravi-Hosmar on Tuesday December 30. The caged leopard was being transported in a jeep to the SK border area via Bajagoli road.

The villagers somehow learnt about this and gathered near Kadari forest check post. The check post officials, who saw this, immediately opened the gates as the vehicle transporting the leopard approached them. The youth, angered by this, followed the vehicle on their bikes. They waylaid the jeep at Kadari bridge and took a task on the forest officials.

As the situation was going out of control, the forest officials tried to pacify the villagers. They gave evasive replies that they were about to leave the leopard at Kudremukh Wildlife Sanctuary. As the villagers were not satisfied with the answers from the forest officials they stood form on their decision of not allowing the jeep to cross the Kadari bridge. 

Finally forest officials bowed their heads before the Mala people and took the captured leopard to Pilikula Nisargadhama.

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