Pics: Umesh Marpalli
Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi

Updated

Udupi, Apr 9: Fear and anxiety coupled with excitement gripped the students and staff at Manipal University when a leopard strayed into the campus here on Wednesday April 9.

It was initially reported that the animal was a black panther.

Sources said that the leopard had been spotted by the security guards near the campus on Tuesday April 8 night, and on Wednesday morning, they informed the forest officials after the animal entered the compound of the staff quarters.

Barricades were put up to prevent anyone from going close to the compound.

Though forest officials arrived at the spot, it is said that they were not equipped with nets, cage or other apparatus to trap the panther. People at the spot said that the officials had been waiting for the equipment to brought from another place.

The leopard was first spotted in one of the quarters but it soon left it and entered another quarters. It was lured to the backdoor of the second house with bones and chicken, and went it came out, the officials trapped it with a net.

It was then put into a cage and taken away.

ASF Satish Babu Rai and Sheena Kottary led the operation. The officials said that the leopard will be released into Kudremukh National Park.

Udupi SP Dr Boralingaiah, circle inspector Maruthi Nayak, forest officer Keshava Poojary, University estate manager Jay Vittal, Manipal police inspector Ravi Kumar, reserve forest officer Prakash Poojary and others arrived at the spot.

A large crowd of Manipal students, staff and locals also gathered and eagerly clicked pictures on their phones and cameras.