Beware, Ponmudi visitors! Leopard on prowl spotted again on Wednesday morning

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Instilling panic in tourists in the hilly terrains of Ponmudi, locals caught sight of a leopard for the second time in two weeks. The leopard was spotted at Ponmudi school on Wednesday morning.

The forest department has started an investigation into the incident. A few days before, a leopard was spotted in the region causing concern for locals and also for tourists who are coming up in big numbers on account of the Christmas/New Year break.

Constable Rajith saw the leopard near the Ponmudi police station at around 8:30 am on December 26. The policeman said that the leopard crossed the road and wriggled into the deep jungles of the hilly region.

After being informed by the police, forest department officials reached the spot and conducted an investigation, but failed to find any trace of the beast.

Search and surveillance have been intensified in the area. So far no leopard attacks have been reported in Ponmudi. Earlier, a leopard that climbed the electricity pole to catch the monkey died of electrocution.

The swelling of tourists in Ponmudi and the presence of leopards have alerted the officials. Earlier once, tourists spotted the rare sight of a leopard carrying a deer in the 10th hairpin curve.