Residents of the 7th block in the southernmost corner of Bengaluru, Anjanapura, found a leopard walking on the city streets late at night early on Tuesday. The scene is in private CCTV footage, which shows the big cat walking slowly on the road, near a series of residential apartments and independent homes, around 2:10 AM.
The Sightings and Panic
The video, which is circulating widely over the local RWA WhatsApp groups, features the leopard striding through a layout near the Turahalli State Forest. As the predator proceeds through an area with many people, it’s caused anxiety in everyone, including early-morning joggers and families with small children inside. “It shocked me this morning I saw the footage in our group chat,” one local resident said. “We’ve heard about lots of sightings around the forest boundary, but watching the leopard outside our gates, just next to a paved road, is something much scarier.”
Forest Investigation
Forest officials in the Kaggalipura area were immediately alerted. Residents suspected the beast had wandered off course from Turahalli senior officials had proposed a different route.
- Suspicion Source: Officials think that the leopard moved into the area from Roerich Devikarani Estate close to Thathaguni or the BM Kaval forest area.
- Route: Experts said leopards from these areas sometimes cross the NICE Road and land in the layout of Anjanapura, which also has a number of vacant plots with thick vegetation perfect cover from a big cat.
- Prey Factor: Officials said the leopard is thought to be stalking stray dogs or small livestock, before heading toward a darker, more isolated spot.
Precautionary Advisories Issued
And the Forest Dept. has ramped up night patrols around its location and is on the lookout for new pugmarks. As a precaution, the residents of Anjanapura and the neighbouring JP Nagar 9th Phase should follow these rules by The Authority.
- Restrict Movement: Avoid walking alone during dawn, dusk, and late-night hours.
- Monitor your pets: Do not allow pet dogs and cats to be left outside or to be outside in a safe enclosure.
- Light: Keep apartment spaces and standalone household lots well-lit at night.
- No Shaping: If spotted, do not try to chase or corner the animal. Notify the Forest Department immediately.
A cage for the leopard has not yet been put in. Officials have explained that they will be ready to put it at once if other things happen nearby. Currently, the “ghost of the forest” is still at large, so a city is on edge.
