Villagers under grip of fear as 2 leopards spotted on hillocks

Kosigi (Kurnool): With the sudden appearance of two leopards on the hillocks of Timmapa Konda, the residents of Kosigi village and the adjacent villages in the mandal were gripped in a state of fear.

Some residents have arrested the beautiful big cats in their mobile phones while others are blaming the forest department officials for their negligence in catching them. According to one Basha, a resident of Kosigi, who works as a waterman said that villagers woke up hearing the screams of monkeys. They immediately climbed on to their house tops to see if any strange thing was happening around. They were taken aback on spotting two leopards sitting on the hillocks.

He said the screaming of monkeys is an indication of the wild beasts roaming in and around the village. However the news spread like wildfire in the village and the villagers in turn have also alerted the residents of adjacent villages not to go out for work. Some villagers with a curiosity have arrested the big cats in their mobile phones while others were gripped in a state of fear.

Another resident Boppala Govind said on several occasions some farmers have spotted one leopard but now two big cats were spotted. The villagers residing just beneath the hillocks are spending sleepless nights. To drive out the wild beasts the villagers used to fire crackers but their every effort is going null and void.

Earlier the leopards have attacked the sheep, cattle, dogs and even monkeys. Due to fear of the big cats venturing into residential colonies and attacking the cattle some of the villagers would keep awake all night. The villagers allege that they have taken the issue to the notice of the forest department officials but no action was initiated.

The villagers urge the forest department officials to catch the leopards and leave them in the deep forest. If the officials fail to take initiatives in this regard, they said they would stage a protest in front of their offices.