Youth injured in leopard attack

Nellore: Maddipati Sivaiah of Molakalapundla village of Saidapuram mandal in the district, who went out to attend nature’s call, was attacked by a leopard on Tuesday sending shockwaves in the village. He was attacked suddenly by the leopard while he was about to return home. On hearing the sounds from the bushes, he thought it was a pig, but, to his horror, it turned out to be a leopard inflicting serious injuries on his back and left leg.

His friends Seeniah and Srihari put him in the 108 ambulance vehicle and shifted him to a hospital. On hearing the cries of the villagers, the leopard escaped into the woods. The officials of the Revenue, Forest and Police departments rushed to the spot and inspected the place of attack.

Speaking to the media, Forest official Pratap Reddy said that the leopard might have strayed into the villages owing to the construction works of the Krishnapatnam-Obulapuram railway line, which disturbed the habitat of the wild animals. He said that several leopards were spotted near the Chitvelu ghat and three teams were pressed into service to trap them.