India: Leopard sighting on Alipiri Walkway triggers panic among Tirupati devotees

Tirupati: A leopard was spotted on the Alipiri walkway in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, early Tuesday, causing panic among shopkeepers and devotees.

The big cat was seen near Galigupuram around 1am, with its movements captured on a shop’s CCTV camera.

The shopkeeper immediately alerted Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD) officials.

In response, TTD officials advised devotees to walk in groups and restricted access for children under 12 as a precaution. The Forest Department and TTD security personnel have since intensified security measures along the route.

This is not the first such sighting. Two weeks ago, another leopard was spotted near Muggu Bavi on the same walkway before retreating into the forest.

In January, a leopard was also seen near Alipiri at the foothills of Tirumala, alarming both residents and pilgrims. Around the same time, a TTD hospital employee was injured when he fell off his bike after encountering a leopard on the Alipiri–Cherlopalli road.

Leopard sightings have become frequent in the area over the past several months. In a tragic incident on August 11, 2023, a six-year-old girl was mauled to death by a leopard while walking to Tirumala with her parents. Her body was discovered near the Narasimha Swamy temple the next morning. In another case, a three-year-old boy was attacked but was saved when pilgrims and security personnel chased the animal away.

To enhance safety, TTD and the Forest Department have increased surveillance, installed CCTV cameras, and set up cages along the walkway. In the past two months, they have captured four leopards in the area.

The 9-km-long Alipiri walkway, which has 3,550 steps, is used by hundreds of devotees daily to reach the Sri Venkateswara temple atop Tirumala hills. Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent further incidents.