Farmer killed, brother injured in leopard attack while irrigating field

Haveri: In a tragic incident, a leopard attacked two brothers who had gone to irrigate their farmland near Kanavisidgeri village in Rattihalli taluk on Friday night. One of them died on the spot, while the other sustained injuries.

The deceased has been identified as Beerappa Balagavi (31), while his elder brother Ganesh (33) suffered injuries and is undergoing treatment at the Haveri District Hospital. The brothers had gone to their field around 10 pm to water their maize crop when the leopard suddenly pounced on them.

According to locals, the field is situated near a stream where leopard sightings had been reported several times earlier. However, the wild cat had never attacked anyone before. “We often saw it moving around, but it never caused any harm. This attack has created fear among farmers. We are now scared to go to our fields at night,” said local resident Siddappa.

Beerappa reportedly suffered severe injuries to his neck and abdomen, resulting in heavy bleeding and instant death. His brother Ganesh narrowly escaped with minor wounds.

Following the incident, Hirekerur MLA U.B. Banakar visited the bereaved family, offering condolences and handing over a compensation cheque of ₹10 lakh. Forest officials present at the site assured that the family would receive a total compensation of ₹20 lakh from the department.

District Forest Officer (DFO) also stated that efforts were underway to capture the leopard. “A special team has been formed to trace and safely capture the animal to prevent further attacks,” he said.

Locals have urged immediate action, expressing concern that the leopard, having tasted human blood, may attack again. The surrounding areas of Kanavisidgeri are known to be leopard habitats, and although livestock attacks were frequent in the past, this marks the first fatal attack on a human in recent years.