Residents lay siege to Hasanur Forest Office over leopard attacks

More than 250 residents laid siege to the Hasanur Forest Division office on Friday (October 23, 2026), condemning the delay in taking action against a leopard suspected of killing a person and more than 25 head of livestock in the area over the past nine months. The protest came a day after the leopard and two cubs were captured by the Forest Department.

Organised by the Tamil Nadu Tribal People Association, Thalavadi Union, the protest was attended by residents of Hasanur, Old Hasanur, Ongalwadi, Bungalow Thotti, Centre Thotti, and other nearby habitations. En route to the office, the protesters briefly staged a sit-in on National Highway 948 (Dindigul–Mysuru), disrupting traffic and raising slogans against the Forest Department. The organisers later asked them to withdraw the road blockade.

A delegation led by former Bhavanisagar MLA P.L. Sundaram met Yogesh Kumar Garg, Deputy Director of the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) and District Forest Officer of the Hasanur Forest Division, at his office.

The delegation questioned the authorities over the delay in taking steps to capture the leopard and prevent further attacks. Mr. Sundaram said camera traps had been installed, patrolling intensified and cages placed only after sustained pressure from residents. The residents also questioned the Forest Department for not showing them the captured leopard and sought details of the operation. He said panic continued to prevail in the villages despite the capture.

Mr. Garg confirmed that the leopard suspected of being involved in the attacks and two cubs had been captured on Thursday (October 22). Mr. Sundaram called for the formation of village-level committees and regular interaction between Forest Department personnel and the committees to address human-wildlife conflicts. The DFO assured the delegation that their demands would be examined. The protest was subsequently withdrawn.

CPI district (North) secretary S. Mohan Kumar and functionaries of various political parties and organisations were present.