Kundapur: A leopard which fell into the well died due allegedly due to forest officials who arrived late, that too without any equipment to rescue the animal. The incident occurred on Saturday at Shiroor Murkeina Bhandarthi near Mandarthi. The leopard, which was three years old, may have fallen into the well while chasing a dog or a deer at night.
On Saturday morning, a person named Rama Naik heard some sounds from the well at around 5.30 am. When he flashed the torch into the well he saw the leopard and informed the forest department immediately. Forest rangers arrived an hour after receiving information about the leopard fighting for its life in the well. That too they came without any equipment required to bring up the leopard from the well. They reported the matter to their higher authorities.
By the time the actual rescue operation began, it was too late as the leopard was fighting for its life for more than six hours and ultimately drowned in the presence of the forest officials. Post-mortem was later conducted at the animal health centre at Bidkalkatte.
