High Alert After Tiger, Leopard Attacks in Bhupalpally, Sircilla

Warangal. Karimnagar: Forest authorities have issued high alerts in Jayashankar Bhupalpally and Rajanna Sircilla districts following a series of tiger and leopard attacks on livestock over the weekend. A tiger killed a bull in Chityala mandal early on Sunday, while a leopard attacked sheep and goat herds in Konaraopet mandal on Saturday night. No human casualties were reported in either incident, but villagers have been advised to avoid forest fringes as officials track the predators’ movements.

The incidents, reported about 150 km apart, have disrupted daily life for farmers and herders in both districts. In Jadalpeta village of Chityala mandal, Jayashankar Bhupalpally district, a tiger killed a bull and dragged the carcass over 100 metres. Forest officials confirmed the tiger’s presence through pugmarks and cautioned residents of Jadalpeta, Gandhinagar, Bhishma Nagar, and Ramachandrapur to remain alert.

In Marimadla village of Konaraopet mandal, Rajanna Sircilla district, a leopard attacked a flock of sheep, injuring one goat and attempting to drag another away before being chased off by shepherds. This followed a separate sighting in Vattimall village on Friday night, where a leopard was seen near the forest boundary.

Forest section officers Ayub Khan and Anwar Pasha verified the attacks. They said leopards are commonly sighted in the Sircilla forest stretches, while the tiger in Bhupalpally is likely a transient male. Camera traps have been installed in both districts to monitor the animals’ movements.

Meanwhile, local leaders in Sircilla, including sarpanch Madugula Amani Srikanth, have assured measures to improve safety, including installing streetlights near forest-adjacent huts to deter wildlife. Forest officials reminded villagers that compensation is available for livestock losses due to wildlife attacks and warned against illegal actions such as setting traps or poisoning carcasses, which could invite criminal charges.