Coffee planter’s wife attacked by leopard in Virajpet village, Forest dept captures wild cat after day-long operation

MADIKERI: A leopard attacked the wife of a coffee planter who was supervising work in the estate in broad daylight at Maldare village in Virajpet taluk on Thursday. The woman was seriously injured, but escaped death and is being treated at a hospital for her injuries. On Friday, the Forest department trapped an injured leopard.

Leela (60), wife of coffee grower Moodagadde Jaya from Maldare village, was supervising workers in her coffee estate on Thursday morning when a leopard suddenly came into the coffee estate and attacked Leela. The leopard injured her on the right side of her ear and on her jaw.

When the seriously injured Leela screamed, workers who were there came and rescued her. Leela, who was seriously injured, was immediately rushed to a private hospital in Gonikoppal for treatment. She is now admitted to the hospital for treatment. Fortunately, she has escaped from danger to her life.

Range Forest Officer of Titmati Range, Gangadhar, along with Deputy Range Forest Officer Shashi P T visited the spot and later visited the hospital to inquire about the health of the injured Leela. Villagers are in panic due to the incident that happened in broad daylight. There is already menace of wild elephants and tigers in this area, and workers are now afraid to go to work.

On Friday, the Forest department launched operations under the leadership of Virajpet taluk Titmati Range Forest Officer Gangadhar and Deputy Range Forest Officer Shashi to capture the leopard. Cameras were installed in the coffee estate to track the leopard’s movement and a cage was set up in the estate to capture the leopard. It is suspected that that the leopard is injured after villagers claimed they had seen an injured animal.

On the insistence of villagers, the Forest Department launched an operation on Friday with the help of tame elephants and captured an injured leopard. It could not be immediately verified if it was the same leopard with had attacked the coffee planter’s wife. Wildlife Veterinary Officer Dr Ramesh visited the spot.