Leopard scare grips Mussoorie residents

Tribune News Service

Mussoorie, October 24

A leopard prowling on Camels Back Road has created panic among the residents who use the road for morning and evening walks in Mussoorie.

The leopard was caught on CCTV loitering around on Camels Back Road near the Nirankari Bhavan a couple of days ago and was seen entering the road from a nearby jungle near the bhavan.

Guddi and Nitu, who reside along the Camels Back Road, said this was not the first time that they were witnessing a leopard on Camels Back Road.

Shantanu Sarkar, a trustee of Winterline Nature Trust, a local NGO involved in wildlife conservation awareness activities, told The Tribune that it was usual that leopards roamed forest areas around Mussoorie and one should not get panicky as there had not been any incident of leopard attack in the town.

He said the reason for the presence of a leopard in the area was that there was plenty of natural food like barking deer (Kakkar) ghoral, yellow-throated martens and even sambhars available for leopards in the wildlife sanctuary near Benog.

Mussoorie DFO Saket Badola said there was no need to panic and residents would be made aware of the presence of a leopard in the area.

Recently, a tigress had created panic in Ramnagar when it killed two persons and injured two others. The big cat was later shot dead by the Forest Department.