Telangana: Suspected leopard sighted near Choutuppal, search on

Panic spread in Devalamma Nagaram village of Choutuppal mandal after locals spotted a suspected leopard on Friday. Forest and police teams rushed to the site, cordoned off the area, and launched a search to confirm the animal’s identity

Yadadri Bhongir: Panic gripped Devalamma Nagaram village and its surroundings in Choutuppal mandal on Friday after locals spotted a suspected leopard moving in the area. Following a complaint from villagers, forest and police officials responded promptly. Farmers on their way to the fields reportedly saw the animal in the wild growth near the village.

A joint team of Forest Department officials and police personnel rushed to the site and cordoned off the affected forest stretch to prevent any untoward incidents. Armed with tracking equipment and binoculars, they combed the area, scanning for paw prints to confirm the animal’s identity.

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“We received a call around 6 a.m. and mobilised staff immediately,” said a senior forest official. “Going by the villagers’ description, it could be a leopard, though we cannot rule out a hyena.”

Forest officials from the nearby Bhongir Wildlife Range are on their way to the village to join the operations and assist in identifying the animal.