Sep 10, 2026, 1:06 PM3 views

Two leopards keep Chittoor villages awake: no sleeping on terraces for three months

Elusive leopards turn Chittoor's hot nights into a nightmare for villagers in SC and ST colonies around Diguvamasapalle and Thalambedu panchayats, forcing them indoors.

A full-grown male leopard in Chittoor district. File | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

For generations, residents in parts of Chittoor rural mandal,

Forest officials use a drone to search for two leopards at Kothur village near Chittoor on the night of September 6, 2026, after a blacksmith said one of the animals leapt over him as he rode home. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Forest officials say that the two leopards are survivors of a territorial fight involving three animals about four months ago. One was killed near Doddipalle, within Chittoor Corporation limits. The remaining two have since reportedly been sighted repeatedly around villages.

About three months ago, one of the animals

While some villagers initially wondered if he had mistaken a hyena or a monkey for a leopard, Achari maintained that it was indeed a leopard while recounting the incident. Village elders said that he developed a high fever later that night and remained unwell for two days.

A power outage on Wednesday night (September 9, 2026) added to the anxiety, with supply restored only around midnight. Residents also claimed linemen were reluctant to visit the affected areas at night amid fears of leopard encounters.

Senior BJP and farmer leader Kothur Babu said the matter had been brought to the attention of the police, forest officials and Chittoor MLA Gurajala Jagan Mohan.

Forest officials have surveyed forested stretches using drones and

Published - September 10, 2026 01:06 pm IST

The Hindu Verified Source

Reported by K. Umashanker · Syndicated via official news feed

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