134 schools in Bengaluru declare holiday after leopard scare

Days after a leopard entered a school in Bengaluru and attacked people, the Karnataka government on Thursday asked schools in the city to remain closed in the wake of the scare.

The government asked as many as 130 schools to remain closed on Thursday as a precautionary measure. A decision on reopening the schools is likely to be taken in a review meeting after the Forest Department submits a report later on Thursday.

A panic was created after there were reports of locals sighting leopards in the vicinity of Vibgyor school, where one had entered recently.

On February 7, a leopard had entered Vibgyor school and had injured three forest department personnel, including a veterinarian, before it was tranquilised after a day-long operation.

Forest officials and police teams had struggled to capture the leopard which prowled the campus for hours.

The feline was first spotted by CCTV cameras inside Vibgyor school following which authorities immediately informed forest officials and police who rushed to the spot.

The leopard had escaped from the school premises during the day and was reportedly hiding inside nearby bushes.