A fake video showing a leopard in Manala forest triggered panic among villagers in Rajanna-Sircilla district after it was widely circulated on WhatsApp and social media. Though a leopard had killed a cow in Lingampet village a week earlier, officials clarified that the viral video was fake and unrelated to Manala forest.
The movement of the leopard was recorded on a CCTV camera installed by a farmer on his farm on the outskirts of the village. The sighting of the leopard has sparked panic among locals
Forest officials reported that leopard pugmarks were found in the Ameenpur forest beat near the village. They urged locals to remain cautious and advised farmers not to enter agricultural fields before 10 a.m. and to leave by 4 p.m. They also recommended that cotton growers work in groups and wear face masks for added safety.
