Residents of Anjanapura are in fear when a leopard is seen roaming through the neighbourhood early on Tuesday, February 3, 2026 in South Bengaluru. The sighting, readily visible on a CCTV camera in a private home, has sparked panic among residents across the region, particularly because it’s near the Turahalli Forest reserve. Documented at 2:30 a.m., the footage shows a full-grown leopard weaving past a parked vehicle, disappearing into a vacant lot. This is yet another case of escalating man-animal clashes in the growing peripheries of the city.
🐆 ‼️ *Leopard Sighting:* Warning for Residents of Anjanapura 7th block
— GANESH TØXIC (@GaneshXic) February 3, 2026
A leopard was sighted today 2feb at 2:10 am on the road,
Site no 441
Please be extremely cautious and vigilant, especially during dawn and dusk. Keep a close watch on children and pets, and do not allowed pic.twitter.com/cq0avF6Y97
Forest Department moves to action
The Karnataka Forest Department, on response to the alert, has dispatched a team of trackers and forest guards to the scene. Officials say the leopard may have strayed from the Turahalli State Forest, a common source of leopards, looking for stray dogs or small animals. "Our teams are on the ground. We did a spot inspection and verified the pugmarks," said a senior forest officer. “We are monitoring the movements of the leopard now and advised people to remain indoors after sunset.
Safety Measures and Cages
The subsequent actions that the department intends to take to ensure public safety are:
- Setting up cages: Cages with live bait are being installed in strategically placed areas close to the forest fringe.
- Heightened Patrols: Night patrols have been intensified in Anjanapura and surrounding layouts like JP Nagar 9th Phase and Kanakapura Road.
- Neighborhood Awareness: Residents are warned to keep their property brightly lit and not leave pets or children unattended outdoors.
An Inductive Trend in the South Bengaluru region of the state. And that's not an isolated event in South Bengaluru. There have been reports of many sightings in the last year near Bannerghatta and Kengeri. These sightings occur often, experts say, as buffer areas around forest areas are shrinking and the amount of easy prey, such as street dogs, in newly developed residential plots continues to grow.
Anjanapura Residents: Advisory
The police and Forest dept issued a joint advising:
- No Late Night Walks: Don't walk alone in secluded or poorly lit areas during the night and early morning.
- Ensure your garbage is Clear: Handle food waste in a way that prevents stray dogs from coming and attracting leopards.
- Report sightings: If visualised, residents ought to not try to corner or agitate the animal and to call immediately the forest department helpline.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the leopard is still not seen, and ongoing operations are underway to hunt him.
