Operation leopard enters 25th day in Karnataka

Belagavi: Amid continued failures, an operation in Karnataka’s Belagavi district to catch a leopard entered the 25th day on Monday, with authorities now using a ‘honey trap’ method to capture the big cat.

Sources involved in the operation explained that the urine of a female leopard is being spread across the cage installed to catch the prowling big cat.

Meanwhile, more than 350 personnel have started combing operations with JCBs, elephants, sharpshooters, anesthetic experts in the premises of the Golf Club spread across 250 acres in the heart of the Belagavi city.

As a precautionary measure, 21 schools and colleges have been closed. Nearly 20,000 students are being affected by the move.

The authorities have also put dogs inside a few cages, but to no avail.

They were also forced to change the places of eight small cages, one big cage and CCTV cameras as the leopard is changing its place of movement.

Meanwhile, the prolonged operation has created public outrage and opposition Congress party workers are demanding the resignation of the state Forest Minister Umesh Katti.

(IANS)