The historic town of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is on high alert now, February 16, 2026, after the sighting of a leopard in the heavily populated neighborhood of Janata Plot. Just a stone’s throw away from the sacred Sri Virupaksha Temple, the predator was witnessed and this has generated a serious threat to the safety among residents as it also impacts thousands of recent influxes of international tourists to the site.
CCTV Footage Confirms Intrusion
The presence of the wild cat was confirmed by a grainy CCTV video of the animal coming through a private home in the Janata Plot locality. The video, which later spread on local social media groups, demonstrates the leopard calmly walking through the lanes in the early hours of Monday morning.
The sighting took place at the same time as the Virupaksha religious temple which is home to the spiritual centre of Hampi which was the last thing people thought could be expected for the area. “I am conditioned as a storekeeper about the temple and the residential parcels, but a leopard coming so near to the temple and the residential lots feels terrifying; we usually find sloth bears sleeping on the cliff slopes, but being confronted by a leopard so close to the temple and residential sites is terrifying,” said a local shopkeeper.
The sighting hauls up alongside peak tourist season. The sighting arrives at a time of record footfall in Hampi following the conclusion of Hampi Utsav 2026. Many visitors are using homestays located within the Janata Plot area so the Forest Department has provided an immediate advisory.
- For local residents: Residents of the area should avoid sleeping in open porticos and have their livestock kept tightly penned.
- For Tourists: Some visitors are discouraged from going out alone after sunset, including around the boulders that surround Hemakuta Hill and the riverbanks.
Forest Department Response
To defuse the panic, officials from the Vijayanagara Forest Division have gone to the spot to inspect pugmarks. Hampi's rocky environment is naturally a habitat for leopards and sloth bears, but often their movement into human settlements through the bush is often linked to the search for easy prey, including stray dogs or small livestock.
“We have a dedicated team to help look around the area. If the leopard keeps coming in the residential area, we will seek permission to put up a trap cage,” a forest official added. The rocky outcrops of Hampi pose flawless camouflage, making it difficult to track the behavior, but thermal drones are being deployed to identify the animal's lodgings.
A Conflict Between Humans and Wildlife Growing
According to wildlife experts, the recent uptick in human activity and lights near the heritage monuments may be pushing these nocturnal hunters to their new turf. Leopards have been reported to be in the vicinity of the Vijaya Vitthala Temple and Sisters' Stones for long but the Janata Plot sighting reflects a major transition to the town's commercial and residential center.
The area is still under surveillance as of Monday afternoon. Local authorities have asked the public not to pass along unverified rumors, and to report any sightings promptly to the forest helpline.
