Pilgrim killed in leopard attack near Male Mahadeshwara Hills

AN eight-year-old boy from Bengaluru was killed in a suspected panthera pardus assail on lord's day morn spell accompanying his family on a pilgrimage trek near Male Mahadeshwara Hills in Karnataka, renewing fears over repeated wildlife attacks along the routes used by devotees.The boy, identified as Harshith, had travelled with his family to the hill shrine and was walking along the Nagamale route during a padayatra when the animal attacked at around 7 am, officials said.According to eyewitnesses and forest officials, the family was moving through a forested stretch when the leopard emerged suddenly from nearby bushes, pounced on the child and dragged him into the forest before relatives could react. “The attack happened within seconds. Family members screamed and tried to chase the animal, but the leopard disappeared into the forest with the child,” a family member said.Forest department personnel, joined by local villagers, launched a search operation soon after the incident. Harshith’s body was later recovered from deep inside the forest area.Officials said the body bore signs of mauling and partial consumption, intensifying concerns that the leopard may have become habituated to attacking humans. “The incident occurred at around 7 am. We launched a combing operation to identify the leopard,” B. Surendra, Deputy Conservator of Forests of the Cauvery Wildlife Sanctuary, said.“We have given a ₹5 lakh cheque to family members and handed over the body after conducting the autopsy. We will install trap cameras and initiate steps to prevent further attacks,” he added.The attack has heightened anxiety among devotees visiting Male Mahadeshwara Hills, a major pilgrimage centre that attracts thousands of visitors, many of whom travel by foot through forest routes surrounding the shrine.The latest death has also triggered criticism of the Forest Department from residents and pilgrims, who accused authorities of failing to act despite earlier leopard attacks in the region.On January 21, a 30-year-old devotee from Mandya district, identified as Praveen, was killed by a leopard near Talubetta while travelling to the shrine. Less than a month later, on February 10, another eight-year-old boy from Channapatna survived a leopard attack on the same route.Residents said the recurring incidents pointed to an escalating human-wildlife conflict in the forest areas surrounding Male Mahadeshwara Hills. “Despite earlier deaths and attacks, authorities failed to provide proper protection for devotees. People are risking their lives while walking through these forest routes,” a devotee alleged.Another resident questioned why stronger preventive measures had not been introduced after previous attacks. “The Forest Department had enough warning after earlier incidents. Still, there were no proper patrols or safety systems in place,” he said.Forest officials and police personnel from Male Mahadeshwara Hills later inspected the area where the attack took place. Authorities have since warned pilgrims against travelling through isolated stretches of forest without taking precautions.Officials said further measures, including surveillance through trap cameras and intensified monitoring of leopard movement, would be initiated in the coming days as efforts continue to trace the animal suspected in the attack.