Tirumala Ghat Road under Chirutha fever

Not one but two Cheetah Panthers (Mother and Cub) are on the prowl in Tirumala Ghat Road, as found by Veterinary Department officials after thorough sighting of Pugmarks. These two were sighted by TTD employees at Gali Gopuram and later by the Armed Reserve Policemen combing the forest which is approximately 60 Sq.Km in area.

The attack on two little girls in less than a week was believed to have been carried out by both of these beasts. Surprisingly, the pugmarks of Panther were found inside the thoroughly fenced deer park, home to over 250 deers. These animals are believed to be regularly entering the park by clinging on to the swaying branches of the bordering trees and getting out the same way after enjoying a sumptuous feast inside the deer park.
  
A trap was laid, with a dog as ‘live bait' at the spot of attack but no result till now. Forest Range Officer, NV Sivaram Prasad who has been drafted for the task, said that three more traps were being set up in the nearby areas. It was good move by TTD to close the Pedestrain Route in the evenings and it was known that rightly these Cheetahs were found wandering in the Pedestrain route yesterday but luckily there were no devotees.