Between October 24-27, trap cameras captured the presence of a leopard and a bear in close proximity to the pedestrian path near Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy temple, raising concerns among Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) officials. An alert has been issued for devotees trekking to the temple.
The TTD officials have urged devotees to exercise caution and remain vigilant while walking along the Alipiri-Tirumala pathway, emphasizing the importance of walking in groups.
In the past, there have been incidents of wild animal attacks on devotees trekking to the temple, prompting TTD authorities to distribute sticks to those making the journey. An initiative known as ‘Operation Leopard’ was launched, involving the placement of traps along various areas on the path to capture and relocate more than five leopards.
Last month, a leopard was captured by forest officials near the Lord Narasimha Swamy temple in Tirumala, marking the sixth such capture since the commencement of ‘Operation Leopard.’
Bhumana Karunakara Reddy, Chairman of Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), emphasized the continuous efforts of TTD and the Forest Department in safeguarding devotees. Notably, the leopard was trapped at the same location where a minor girl, Lakshitha, was attacked and killed by the wild animal last month.
The TTD Chairman assured that the Tirumala walkway route is under constant monitoring.
In August, the forest department launched ‘Operation Leopard’ in response to the frequent sightings of leopards along the path to the hilltop temples. The department set up 300 trap cameras at various forest locations to monitor leopard movements and capture them when necessary.
