Big cat spotted close to Srisailam temple forest

SRISAILAM: A leopard spotted in the close vicinity of the famous Sri Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna temple in Srisailam caused panic among the local residents and pilgrims on Friday night. At around 8 pm, a local person first saw the wild cat in the bushes adjacent to the devasthanam cottages located near the Rudra Park.

Shocked by the sight of the leopard, the man quickly ran to the rooftop of a cottage and began filming it on his smartphone. But disturbed by the mobile phone light, the wild beast quickly vanished into the nearby forest area.

The news of the leopard spotting in the close proximity of the temple cottages sent shockwaves locally. The devasthanam authorities responded promptly by issuing an alert through the public address system. They warned the local residents and the pilgrims against going near the area where the leopard was spotted.

This is not the first instance of a leopard straying into the human habitat near the Srisailam temple. Felines of various types keep making public appearances frequently here, sending local residents and the authorities into a tizzy.

With one more incident happening now, people here are worried of a possible threat to their lives and their cattle. They appeal to the forest department officials to take adequate measures immediately to thwart this danger.