Overview
- A video circulating on social media captured devotees panicking after a leopard was reported on the Alipiri footpath that leads to the Tirumala shrine.
- Forest Department teams responded on site, used loud noises and crowd management to force the animal back into the nearby Seshachalam Hills, and reported no injuries.
- Officials have told pilgrims to travel in groups, avoid walking alone, remain vigilant at night, and to inform forest authorities if they spot wildlife.
- Surveillance and monitoring along the roughly 11 km Alipiri footpath have been stepped up by authorities to track animal movement and protect trekkers.
- The sighting highlights recurring leopard visits to the forested route used daily by thousands of devotees and raises questions about managing human-wildlife contact on the pilgrimage path.