MYSURU: A leopard was sighted at the Infosys campus in Mysuru early Tuesday, sending foresters and police on a hunt to trap the big cat.
CCTV footage confirmed the leopard’s presence some 100 metres from the hostel at the high-security campus located in the Hebbal industrial area on the outskirts of the city. However, personnel from the forest department, cops and the IT company staff did not spot it during the day.
Combing operations will continue on Wednesday as well, forest authorities said.
As soon as the big cat’s presence on the campus was confirmed, it was closed for the day. Except for a handful of staff members, only foresters and police were allowed inside, and all the gates were closed. More than 10,000 people work on the campus that is spread over 300 acres.
A software engineer said he received a message around 6 am about the presence of the leopard and was advised to work from home for the day.
Speaking to reporters in Bidar, forest minister Eshwar B Khandre said: “Drones fitted with thermal cameras are being used to trace the leopard. All measures have been taken to ensure the animal doesn’t enter the nearby human habitat.”
Although the boundary wall, equipped with electric fencing, stands 12-13 feet high, the trees planted along the outer wall provided an easy entry point for the big cat. Foresters said the leopard climbed on a tree to gain entry into the campus.
Speaking to TOI, Prabhu Gowda, deputy conservator of forests (wildlife), said: “CCTV footage confirmed the entry of the leopard, though we have not been able to locate it.”
